


For the Sake of Normalcy

by moosey_writes



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, reborn - Fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2020-05-19 20:12:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 105,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19363453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moosey_writes/pseuds/moosey_writes
Summary: All Shiori wanted was to live a normal, quiet life. Everything she did was normal. Even her looks were normal. She desired normalcy even in a crazy town like Namimori. But it was when she met a group of individuals, she started to slowly see how abnormal she really was.





	1. Chapter 1

Why is it I’m the only one in this town that’s normal?  It seems like Namimori is the only place I’ve ever been to that is crazy and full of strange people.  I’ve lived in other towns and cities around the world due to my study abroad programs and yet Namimori is the only place this insane.  It all started when my family moved to the town three months ago.  Namimori is the town my mother grew up in while my father grew up in Osaka.  I was born in Tokyo.  We were a plain, normal family with normal jobs.  My mother is a nurse.  My father is a salaryman.  I’m Shiori Mori, an almost seventeen year old student.  I have short dark brown hair and hazel eyes.  I like how plain I look.  Because of it, I can blend in almost any place I go.  My grades were above normal which wasn’t something I hated.  My parents pushed me and made me go to different cram schools since I was five.  It was thanks to my smarts I’ve been around the world studying.  Despite my initial distaste in traveling, I’ve learned a lot and can speak in a few languages, but I’m not quite fluent.  I can only hold a few conversations.  While I was unpacking my things into my new room, I saw a few men in suits talking to my parents outside.  I opened the window in hopes to hear something. 

“We will be adding more to your monthly payment for protection.”  One of the men said.  Why would we need protection in such a small town?  It didn’t seem like crime was big here.

“How much are we talking about?”  Dad asked. 

“It’s just three hundred more on top of everything.”  I let out a scream in my mind.  That was a lot, an unnecessary amount.

“What will you protect my family from?”  Dad questioned the men.  Mom put a hand on dad’s shoulder before he could ask another question. 

“It’s best not to ask questions, dear.”  Dad looked between her and the men.  He gave out a sigh.    

“Fine.”  The men left which was my cue to let out my held breath. 

“Is this town run by the mafia or something?”  I questioned myself. 

What I didn’t know then was yes and no.  This town was controlled by one family to ‘keep us safe’.  We didn’t even need to give protection money in Tokyo.  Oh well.  Hopefully, it shouldn’t be too much of a burden financially.  I had most of my things unpacked by the next day.  It was a weekend.  Mom brought me to the school to get my uniform and other things.  Everyone was nice, except for a few teachers.  They only glared at me.  It might be because I studied in the city.  It was because of living in Tokyo and traveling, Namimori decided I’d be better in a lower grade instead of a higher grade.  It honestly irritated me, but I was warned by my teachers in Tokyo this would happen.  I’ve noticed some people from small towns don’t like city folk like me very much.  The door opened and a guy around my age walked in.  He stared at me and then the receptionist. 

“This is Shiori Mori.  She’s a new student starting this week.”  He looked at me with cold eyes.  I felt right at home.  This was what I was used to from the city. 

“Stay in line and you won’t get bitten to death.” 

Did he really just say what I think he said?  Why does everyone else seem accustomed to this?  Shouldn’t they at least make a face or roll their eyes?  When we left, I couldn’t help but think how strange that guy was. 

“What’s the matter?”  Mom asked. 

“Are you really asking?  What the hell did that guy mean?” 

“That’s normal for him, sweetie.” 

“Just because that’s normal for him doesn’t mean that’s normal for everyone else.  Plus, everyone in the room seemed just fine with what he said.”  Mom chuckled lightly. 

Why did she just brush me off like that?  She’d never do that.  It was like whoever entered this town was put under a spell like that one show.  Instead, I’d call it Namimori syndrome.  I shivered.  If people start to attack me and have that crazy look, I’m out.  I’ll go live by myself in another country.  I don’t want anything to do with that.  Hopefully, this will be the only strange thing about this town.  Mom looked at me from the corner of her eye and smiled even wider.  It creeped me out. 

“Don’t worry about anything.  You’ll be just fine.  Just obey the rules, okay?”  She said.

“Why wouldn’t I obey them?  I always follow the rules.”  “I know.  I just like to say it.” 

When Monday came, I got ready in my new uniform.  It wasn’t the prettiest I’ve been in, but it was by far not the ugliest.  A certain bright yellow uniform came into my mind, sending a shiver down my spine.  I do not want to be near that again.  I put a ribbon in my hair and made a bow that hung itself on the left side of my head.  The bow looked cute on me and sometimes it was the only thing that distinguished me from a crowd.  I walked down and saw breakfast and bento at the table.  My parents must have left for work.  I ate and packed my bento in my bag.  After locking the door behind me, I closed it and started walking to school.  I wasn’t nervous per se.  I’ve had a lot of first days before.  This shouldn’t be any different.  Though, seeing others in the same uniform walking together made me feel a little bit excited.  As instructed, I went to the office when I arrived.  The receptionist smiled when she saw me. 

“The uniform looks adorable on you.” 

“Thank you.”  As I waited, I could hear the footsteps and hardly any chatter.  Why was that?  Usually, there would be chatter from students about their vacation and other things.  The door opened and a prefect walked in. 

“Where’s the new student?”  He spoke in a smug manner.

“I’m right here.”  I stood up and noticed how short I was.  “You don’t look like anything special.  Follow me.”  He basically glared at me.  I wonder if he’s just acting tough.

I followed the prefect through the halls.  He stopped at a door.  “This is your classroom.”  “Thank you.”  The teacher opened the door and saw me. 

“You must be the new student.” 

“Yes, sir.”  He was one of the teachers that glared at me a few days ago. 

“Well, come in.”  I could feel him looking at me up and down as I walked in.  The students just stared at me.  I gave a small bow. 

“I’m Shiori Mori.  I’m originally from Tokyo.  It’s nice to make your acquaintance.”  I introduced myself like I did for so many schools.

“Does anyone have questions for your new classmate?”  Why didn’t he use my name like other teachers?  A few hands rose. 

“What’s it like in Tokyo?”  “It’s unique and fun.”  I replied.

“What are your sizes?”  I clicked my tongue in disappointment.  Was that the only thing he could think of to ask? 

“She’s really plain looking.”  Someone said quietly, but it was heard by everyone. 

“Kyoko Sasagawa is one of our best students.  If you have any questions, ask her.  Kyoko, raise your hand.”  A girl with orange brown hair raised her hand with a smile.  I got the typical good girl vibe off her immediately.  I sat down in the only empty seat which was near the door.  Once I sat, we started the lesson.  Half-way through, I realized I knew everything.  It was everything I learned in cram school two years ago.  This must be what my advisor warned me about. 

In my cram school, each student was assigned to a faculty member who would help us plan our future.  When my advisor found I was moving here, he warned me about a few things.  I’d always be years ahead of everyone.  The education here will drag out.  I’ll look into finding a good online school when I get home.  I needed something to challenge me.  When lunch came, I wasn’t approached by anyone.  No one wanted to sit with me.  I took out my lunch, almost perplexed.  It didn’t bother me.  In fact, it made me give a small sigh of relief.  I was normal where no one noticed I was new.  I happily ate my lunch as I read a book I got as a gift from my host family in America.  It was a novel about a mental asylum with many strange characters and how they tried to escape to asylum.  I got through a chapter just as lunch was over.  The entire day was like this.  It was slow and uneventful.  I didn’t even run into that weird guy either.  So, today was a plus.  Instead of going home, I went to the convenience store for some snacks.  My usual snacks consisted of something sweet, salty, and healthy.  So, I grabbed a bag of chips, a chocolate bar, and an onigiri.  I picked up a bottle of unsweetened green tea and went home.

In my room, I went straight to my room and sat at my computer.  I opened the bag of chips and ate one.  I turned the computer on and started to search for an online school.  Weird enough, I couldn’t search for that.  I looked up a bank I saw on the way to school and couldn’t find anything.  I shut the computer off.  If there was anything I was taught in America, it would be some basic programming and other tech related things.  They were simple things, though.  It was nothing too extravagant.  Though, I was interested in security which I began to teach myself on the side.  I kept as quiet as possible and went to the router.  There was nothing off about it.  So, I went to the storage and found a screwdriver.  I walked back up and unscrewed it.  Inside, I found something that wasn’t supposed to be there.  A small box was placed inside.  The only reason I knew this was because my host father in America was a technology junkie.  He made me sit with him as he worked on computers and routers.  I took the box off and put it on my windowsill.  I turned my computer on.  Everything was reset to its factory settings.  I let out a sigh.  “Great.”  The little box destroyed everything.  It was a good thing it was a new computer.  It still annoyed me I had to download everything again.  So, I chose not to download anything in case something like this happened in the next couple of days. 

A week went by.  Everything was the same as the first.  This is how everything went.  It was one endless cycle.  However, my parents asked me a weird question one night. 

“Are you not happy with your education?”  Mom asked.  She looked worried about me.

“Where did that come from?”  I questioned. 

“Well, we were approached by some men.  They found you were looking for cram schools.  They said if you weren’t happy, to talk with them.”  Dad replied.  He didn’t look too happy with the men watching us like hawks.

“Why would I talk to them about my education?  Shouldn’t I talk to, you know, an actual teacher?”  I said logically.  Only an educator would know how to put me on track for the future. Mom looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t and kept eating her food.  That’s weird.  “Dad?” 

“It’s nothing to worry about.  Finish dinner so you can do your homework.”  He had a small smile on his face.  Something was off.

Sometimes, my parents were oblivious.  I knew they loved me and wanted the best for me, but they don’t understand me.  It’s why I felt like I was alone most of the time.  Because of moving all over, I couldn’t really make any lasting friends.  I just really had myself.  When I finished eating, I went to my room.  I changed into my pajamas and went straight to the computer and looked for cram schools.  No one will change my mind about wanting to look for a better education. 

The next day, I knew Namimori syndrome was real.  A boy in my class was running down the street in his underwear.  The craziest part was he had a flame on his forehead. 

“I will pronounce my dying love to Kyoko!” 

I blinked a few times and then pinched my hand.  I wasn’t dreaming.  I’m glad to see everyone was just as perplexed as me.  It was at school when things got weirder.  The boy stopped in front of Kyoko. 

“Will you be my girlfriend?!”  Instead of answering, Kyoko just ran away like any other person would have. 

The flame on the boy’s head disappeared and he screamed from embarrassment.  Did he not know what he was doing?  I looked at the time.  I needed to get to class before I was late.  In fact, I was one of the first in the classroom.  Everyone was still in the courtyard where another of my classmates approached the almost naked classmate.  I shook my head.  This must be part of Namimori syndrome.  There was nothing else I knew that would explain this.  When everyone got into class, I didn’t notice that boy here.  He probably went home.  Everyone was speaking about a fight. 

“Hey, plain Jane, are you going?”  A guy asked me. 

“Plain Jane?”  I replied with confusion.

“Yeah.  That’s what I’m calling you for now on.  Are you going?”  He asked as if calling me ‘plain Jane’ was an everyday thing.

“Going to what?”  I asked.

“The fight.” 

“I have no plans on going to see any fight.” 

He leaned in closer.  “Why not?  It’ll be fun to see Tsuna humiliated.” 

My brows furrowed together.  “I’m not interested in watching that.” 

“You really are plain.”  He turned back around.

After the final bell rang, I went and bought a small notebook.  I turned on my way out of the store and saw a few men staring at me.  Their gazes were cold with not a single speck of warmth to them.  I kept walking home.  They must be some of the local Yakuza that live around here.  I got out a small bottle of pepper spray just in case they tried something.  I could never be too careful.  Thankfully, I got home without a confrontation of any kind.  I wrote in my notebook about everything that happened so far.  I even noticed mom’s weird behavior.  I couldn’t help but sigh after everything I wrote.  Mom looked at me from the entrance of my door and then walked downstairs.  Even she changed when we got into town.  She used to be so energetic and carefree, talking up a storm.  She isn’t like that anymore.  Even dad was a little strange.  He stopped smiling as much, but it could be from his new job.  It could be stressing him out a little bit.  I jotted everything down and closed the book.  This should be enough for now.  I’ll continue tomorrow.  For now, I’ll apply to a school I found.  I noticed how I couldn’t access the internet.  I looked into the router and didn’t find a single thing wrong with it.  Someone was restricting my access. 

“Hey, dad?”  I called from upstairs. 

“Yes?”  I ran down the stairs and saw him reading the newspaper.  Mom wasn’t anywhere to be seen.  “Did you restrict my internet?” 

“Why would I do that?”  He asked with furrowed brows.

“I don’t know.  It’s restricted.” 

“I see.”  Dad said, not exactly knowing what to do or say.  It was silent between us.  This was the most awkward silence I’ve ever experienced from dad. 

“Do you think mom would know anything?”  I asked.

“We both know that answer.”  I laughed quietly.  Mom was the worst at anything technological. 

“I’ll find something out.” 

“Shiori.” 

I turned back around.  “Yes?” 

“Be careful.” 

I looked back into his eyes.  He wanted to say something more, but he forced himself not to say anything.  “I’m always careful.”  I went back to my room.  The only thing I could think of were those men I saw the first day we moved here.  They were the ones monitoring my searches through the black box I found.  That means I needed to get some new equipment that hasn’t been tampered with.  I’ll try to make a trip to Tokyo next weekend.  At least then I can get high quality equipment.  I finished my homework without any trouble and went to bed. 

The next day, I walked by the boy that had the flame on his forehead.  There was a baby standing next to him talking in full sentences.  A baby that age shouldn’t even talk, much less form complex sentences.  I could detect a small accent from the baby.  Does Namimori Syndrome also affect young children?  Oh well.  I made it to class on time and wrote down my findings.  I wouldn’t call them symptoms just yet until I have more data. 

“Mori.”  The teacher called out

I tensed and looked up after hearing my name be called.  “Y-yes?” 

“Solve this problem.”

I stood up, not knowing we were in the middle of math class.  I guess I was too focused on writing.  I examined the problem.  “It’s three point two percent.”  Everyone seemed to gasp with shock. 

“That’s correct.  Just to see if you were really paying attention, solve the next one.”  I watched as the teacher wrote another problem.  I tilted my head and then made a confirmation noise. 

“There isn’t anything I can do about one variable, so it’d have to be eleven point eight x.”  Again, this got another reaction from my classmates. 

“That’s correct.  You’re very skilled in mathematics.” 

I sat down and internally sighed.  I’ll always be two years ahead of everyone in this room.  My parents pushed me academically where I was able to enter schools specifically for geniuses despite me not being one.  I could just learn quicker than others.  Sometimes, I wish I could test out of high school.  I always decided against it because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life.  I’ve never put much thought into it before.

During lunch, Kyoko walked up to me.  “That was amazing, Shiori.” 

“It wasn’t much.” 

“Don’t say that.  Not just anyone could answer those questions without doing work on paper.” 

“Oh.”  I didn’t want to say about my previous schooling.  It didn’t feel right.  I’d make them feel bad about themselves.

“See you later.”  She left to eat with her friend.  I was sort of expecting her to invite me to lunch.  I guess not.  Oh well.  I wasn’t that hurt.  In fact, everyone left the room. 

“Plain Jane, the fight is about to begin.  Are you coming?” 

“I’d like to eat.”  I opened my bento.

He sighed.  “I should have expected that.” 

I was the only one in the room.  I ate in silence.  This school was very negative towards its students.  It was a domino effect.  The teachers didn’t like the students and the students turned on certain students that were, in their opinion, not as good or different.  It was a bad mindset to have.  At least this wasn’t part of Namimori Syndrome.  It was the faults of human ego.  I finished my lunch quickly and decided to go see what the huge fuss was about.  When I entered the gym, I saw the flame and boxers.  Tsuna was ripping hair out of another student’s head. 

“What the hell?”  I said and took a step back to slowly leave.  That’s when I accidentally bumped into a teenager with silver hair, smoking. 

“Watch where you walk.”  The harsh tone didn’t scare me.  I’ve heard harsher before.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t see you.” 

“Don’t give me your poor excuses.”  He scoffed.

Well, he isn’t very kind at all.  If anything, he’s more like one of those annoying Yakuza wannabes.  I went my separate way.  Back in class, I wrote down what I saw in my notebook.  By the end of the day, I was exhausted.  Nothing made sense in this town.  Even though my social life was the same, I felt even lonelier than usual.  I went and got myself ice cream.  Hopefully, it’ll help cool me down.  When I turned to leave, I saw the same men from the other day in front of me. 

“Come with us.”  Everyone around us didn’t even react.  These men must be part of the family that controls this town. 

“No.” 

“We didn’t give you a choice.”  The voice wasn’t kind.

I didn’t like that.  I got out the bottle of pepper spray that was in my pocket.   “Why?  I don’t even know you.” 

“You either come with us, or we will use force.”  I could tell they were serious.

They really did box me into the corner.  I couldn’t run away.  “You’re expecting me to go peacefully to people who may want to kidnap me?  That’s a forward technique.”  I said, mocking them.

“We warned you.” 

There was no hesitation in their actions.  They lunged out to me.  Since I was expecting this, I kicked one of the men between the legs as hard as I could and pepper sprayed the other’s face.  The other than tried to grab me, but I stuffed my ice cream cone down his throat to the point where he was choking.  That’s when I ran for it.  Sure, this wasn’t the first time I was attacked, but it was still a little startling.  All I wanted was to live normally, but no.  This always happens one way or another.

“Get her!”

 I didn’t need to look back to know the three were running.  Then, I heard a chorus of men yell.  My eyes widened from shock and fear.  This was not what I wanted to happen.  Why me?  I saw a group of men running towards me.  They were coming from both sides.  A car was parked on the side of the road filled with more men inside.  I started running for the car.  Thank god I was in gymnastics and track for a few years.  I jumped onto the car and used it to propel myself onto the large concrete fence.  One man tried to get me, but I silently kicked him in the head.  I kept running on top of that before jumping down to the ground where the fence ended.  They all stared with surprise.  I kept running as fast as I could and yet they kept following.  I don’t think they’ll ever stop even if I do go home.  That’s when I saw the marketplace buzzing with people.  Perfect!  My number one skill is blending in.  I ran right into the crowd and took my ribbon off. 

“Where did she go?”  “Dammit!  We lost her.”  The men ran passed me.  I calmly walked away and then ran home when I was in the clear.  

My parents could see how panicked I was.  “What’s wrong?”  Dad asked. 

“Well, other than being chased by weird men in suits, I’m fine.”  I explained casually.

“What?!  This is stepping over the line.”  Dad said in anger.

“Why were you chased?”  Mom asked. 

“They told me to follow them.  I refused and they were about to use force.” 

“Oh no, Shiori.  What did you do to provoke them?”  Mom asked with fear of what I did.

“I kicked one of them, pepper sprayed the other, and stuffed my ice cream cone down the other’s throat.”  Dad looked proud while mom was horrified. 

“You can’t do that to them, Shiori.  You’re lucky you’re not hurt.”  She held her hand to her head with disbelief.  “What are we going to do now?”  Mom said with worry.  She was more worried about the repercussions than she was about me.

“Mom?  What’s going on?”  I asked.

“We’ll be fined for your actions.” 

“What?!  We’re going to get punished for them trying to kidnap me?”  What kind of bullshit is this?  I’ve known many Yakuza families and none of them have acted like this before.

“Don’t worry about anything.  We’ll make sure it was all a misunderstanding.  You were only scared, right?  You didn’t do it on purpose.”  Mom said in a hurried voice, almost trying to calm herself.

“Why would I do that on purpose?  Can you not see how scared I am?” 

“I’m sorry, Shiori.  Go calm down.”  Mom said in a quiet voice.  I’ll need ice for my legs.  I might need to run away from those men again and running with stressed muscles would only hinder me.  Hopefully, tomorrow will be somewhat normal.


	2. Chapter 2

Why did I think today was going to be somewhat normal?  This damn town is far from normal.  Each day is another day full of insanity.  It’s only a matter of time before I succumb to Namimori syndrome.  In class, we had a transfer student. 

“Class, this is Gokudera Hayato.  He just finished his study abroad from Italy.”  The teacher announced from the front of the room.

My ear twitched at the information.  No wonder he had an attitude.  He must have been in the parts of Italy full of mafia and wanted to impersonate them.  I’ve seen plenty like him when I was in Italy.  That makes sense.  Maybe I can have a decent conversation with him.  It’ll be nice to exercise my Italian again.  I looked at him with indifference unlike the other girls in class.  They were younger than me which could be why they’re so smitten by Gokudera.  That’s when he walked over to Tsuna and kicked his desk for no reason.  Never mind.  If Tsuna is the center of the syndrome, Gokudera will eventually fall victim.  Maybe he has already has and I haven’t noticed.  I could never tell.  I let out a sigh.  At lunch, Gokudera approached me. 

“You.” 

“Yes?”  I looked up and saw him glaring. 

“Watch where you walk this time.” 

“I’ll…try not to bump into you.”  He stormed off. 

“Woah, plain Jane.  What did you do to deserve that?”  My neighbor in front of me asked.  He’s the only one in class that actually talks to me.

“I accidentally bumped into him yesterday.”  I put my attention back on my lunch.

“Seems like an unpleasant guy.  He’s still glaring at you.”  I looked over and saw Gokudera.  His glare got worse when he saw I was looking.

“I see.” 

“It must suck being you, plain Jane.” 

“You have no idea.”  He turned back with a chuckle.  I ate silently.  I just wanted to go home.  Actually, I didn’t want to be in Namimori anymore.  I want my old life back.  Maybe the amount of people around me made me feel less lonely. 

The rest of the day thankfully went by without anything happening.  However, by the next day, Gokudera was as happy as can be by Tsuna’s side.  I took out my notebook and wrote everything down.  I need more data, but the current evidence points to Tsuna playing a big role in the Namimori Syndrome.  Gokudera kept glaring at me from across the room.  I crossed out my statement.  It’s just Gokudera’s strange personality.  Why did he not like me?  I only bumped into him on accident.  This guy can’t possibly hold a grudge over something so small.  Right?  Maybe he had some bipolar disorder.  Well, at the end of the day, Gokudera slammed his hand on my desk.  I jumped and looked up. 

“What do you want?”  I asked, irritated and unhappy with his behavior.

“Listen here, woman.  Don’t go near the tenth.”  Gokudera threatened.

“Huh?  Who is that?”  I asked, totally confused.

“You know who!  I don’t trust you.” 

“Okay.”  He stomped out of the classroom.  “What a strange person.”  I packed my things and went to my locker.  Outside, I could see more men.  “I’m really regretting not taking that last study abroad in Russia, but no.  I wanted to spend more time with my family.”  Also, a war in Russia was going on.  Well, there was a ‘rumor’ going around about one starting soon.  I put my shoes on and walked out of the back entrance.  I could see men in the woods.  “They really have this whole place covered.  How will I escape this time?” 

I went back to the front and decided to swallow my fear.  They noticed me and turned towards me.  “We’d like for you to follow us.”  The presumed leader of the group said.

“I can’t.  I have a lot of homework.”   

“We can get that waived.” 

“I really want to do well without other people interfering.  I do want a good education after all.” 

“Yet, you don’t think you’re getting an adequate education here.”  So, these guys are the ones watching me. 

“I’m sure there’s a misunderstanding.  Now, I must be getting home.  My parents will worry if I’m late.” 

“We cannot allow that.  Our orders are to bring you with us.”  I wondered who their boss might be.

“Are you going to use force if I refuse?”  They all nodded.  I internally sighed.  We’re going to go through the same damn thing again. 

“There’s no use in running like last time.  We have the entire area covered.  Even if you run, you can’t hide from us for long.” 

“I’m aware, but why go through so much for a high school girl?  Shouldn’t you be doing this to an actual bad guy?”  They were hunting and watching me as if I was a criminal.  It didn’t sit right with me.

“All information will be disclosed when you come with us.”  I started to stretch.  I needed to loosen up my muscles for the impending action.  “Well, this isn’t going to be much fun for any of us.”  I commented.  I was glad I iced my legs the other night.  “You know, you lot are really sketchy.  Not even real Yakuza do this.  You and your boss should be ashamed.”  I commented nonchalantly. 

“I already told you there’s nowhere to run.”  The man said. 

I ran right at them and dove underneath their legs.  Someone caught my arm as I got up.  I turned and pepper sprayed him in the face.  He instantly let go.  That’s when I ran.  They didn’t follow me like last time.  They’re full of empty promises.  Either way, I kept running just in case.  I did not want to get caught.

The entire month went smoothly.  The men haven’t bothered me and I was able to finally apply to a cram school I wanted.  Today was a weekend where I had nothing to do.  I didn’t feel like going to Tokyo. This was mostly because my internet was working just fine after a few adjustments.  Mom walked into my room. 

“Haven’t you made any friends yet?  Go spend time with them instead of lying around.  It isn’t good to be held up in your room all the time.” 

“Okay.” 

I didn’t want to worry my parents.  So, I told them lies about school and how I made a couple of friends.  Telling them I made a lot would send red flags.  Though, I’m sure they knew I lied.  I got dressed and went to the train station for an adventure.  Kyoto seemed like a good place to go for the weekend.  I haven’t been there in years.  I wonder how everything is doing.  The two hour train ride was quiet.  It was almost too quiet.  I think this is why I like the city more.  The noise occupied me from my thoughts.  It helped suppress feelings of loneliness.  That made my situation a lot more depressing than it really is.  I shook my head and smiled. 

“Things will be just fine.”  I muttered to myself quietly.

I got off at the train station and walked outside.  It wasn’t entirely warm out and it wasn’t too cold.  I still wore a long sweater jacket on top of my sailor-like dress.  I was sensitive to the cold unlike a lot of people and loved the warmth.  So, I wore black tights for a small barrier for my legs.  My nose was met with all these different smells.  The air was a little more polluted here than it was in Namimori.  I’ll get something to eat and then go explore. 

Thankfully, the takoyaki stand I found a while back was still here.  I ordered a regular size and was handed one a few minutes after.  Takoyaki were supposed to be enjoyed hot and right off the pan.  Unfortunately, I did not have a mouth of steel.  So, I ripped open a small hole in each to cool them off.  When I did eat them, they were just as I remembered.  After eating, I went and walked around the city and made it to the country side in fifteen minutes of walking.  Throughout the entire time, I felt like I was being watched, even followed.  I’m hoping it’s nothing, but my intuition has never wrong in these situations.  It’s probably some Yakuza members wanting money.  Either way, I ignored it for now and kept sight-seeing.  The entire area was beautiful.  It was almost fall which meant the trees were starting the transition into beautiful colors.  Just thinking about how everything would look put a smile on my face.  I’ll have to come back later in the year if I have time.  I found an abandoned playground while doing some more exploring.  The only way I knew it was abandoned was from the condition of the playground.  It was all rusted and looked like it’d break at any moment.  Plus, I had passed one that had kids all over. 

I sat on one of the swings.  Even though I was at a playground, the view was extraordinary.  Though, I found out why the playground was probably closed down.  It was near a pretty steep cliff.  If I were to fall, I knew I wouldn’t die.  I’d get at least a broken arm or leg.  It was a lot better than death.  I stepped back and saw a gymnastic set a few feet away.  The one that caught my eyes were the uneven bars.  They were my forte and favorite event.  I always felt like I was flying.  No matter what dangerous stunt I did, I always trusted myself and my abilities.  It’s what divided me from everyone else.  I lifted my hands up to the shorter bar and pulled myself up.  It was like second nature for me.  That’s when my hands slipped, sending the bar straight into my stomach.  I let out a noise from pain and then groaned as my body hung over the bar like a piece of laundry. 

“That didn’t go as plan.”  I muttered in discomfort.

I heard someone laugh close by and looked up.  No one was there.  I looked behind and saw no one either.  I swear I heard someone’s laugh.  Could it be from the people following me?  I pushed myself up and stood on the bar.  I looked everywhere around me.  I guess it was my imagination.  I turned my back towards the taller bar and fell backwards, catching the bar.  Instead of doing a routine, I just swung.  I’m glad I did.  The bar and poles were fragile.  I still put a lot of force on it though.  I swung to the shorter bar and then swung off.  Landing on my feet, I smiled.  “Just like old times.”

I went to a couple of shrines and then went to eat again.  I was still being followed.  At least, I hope it was my imagination.  Namimori might be affecting my mental state.  Great.  That’s exactly what I wanted to happen.  My nose followed me to another great food stand.  This time it was a stand that had a little bit of everything.  So, I decided to treat myself and get a little bit of almost everything.  From noodles to squid, I got most of it.  After all, it is good to treat yourself once in a while.  Plus with my black hole of a stomach, this amount of food I got was child’s play.  I sat on a bench on the main street and watched everyone walk by.  A man sat next to me. 

“What’s a girl like you doing in an unfamiliar city?”  My ears twitched.  I ignored him and didn’t even look at him.  He hummed in interest. 

“You can clearly hear me.  Why ignore me?  I’m not dangerous.”  My legs froze.  Not even the yakuza put me on edge like this.  I kept eating, trying my best to enjoy my food.  He inched closer to me.  I could smell orchids and cherry blossom on him.  It was familiar.  Who have I ran into that smelled like this? 

“You’re more of a prodigy than you let on, Shiori Mori.”  He even knew my name.  I cut ties to everyone I knew in Kyoto.  Even if people who knew me came over, I didn’t know anyone who had that voice. 

“Still not answering?  Oh well.  My older brother has wanted to meet you for a while and yet you keep running away.  I commend you for being able to outrun them.  That’s quite a difficult task.  However, there’s no running from me.” 

Everything made sense.  He was part of the family that ran Namimori.  “Why does your brother want to talk with me?”  I questioned.

“Ah, you do speak.  My brother just wants to talk about certain things.” 

“Like what?”  The man inched closer.  The fragrance grew stronger. 

“Everything.  By the way, have you checked your application for that cram school?  I’m sure you’ll be surprised at what my older brother did.  You see, you angered him.  You’re lucky I’m the one that ran into you.  I’m the calm brother.”  My hand froze.  Great.  This probably means more fines. 

“He seems like a great guy.  You know, trying to kidnap a teenage girl and fining my family because he didn’t get his way makes him seem like a good guy.”  I replied sarcastically.

The man laughed at my sarcasm.  “You’re a strange bird.”  Bird?  “However, every action you take that defies us will only make you one of our enemies.”  He said right in my ear.  I put my food down between us.  “Did I scare you?” 

“I ate too much.”  I stood and rubbed my stomach. 

“Will you come with me?  My older brother just so happens to be visiting.” 

“I don’t understand a lot of things about the world.  Your family is low on that list.  If someone defies your absolute law, you punish them despite your logic being flawed.  You distort that flawed logic to manipulate everyone to believe you’re right.  It also helps when you can easily intimidate people with your strength and political power.” 

“You don’t understand why our logic is right and yours is wrong.  Why not try to understand?  I’m sure you will over tea.”  The man commented.

“No thank you.”  My answer was abrupt.

“Oh?”  I looked at him right in the eyes.  He seemed on edge.  No one probably looks him straight in the eyes. 

“I refuse to go anywhere willingly near your family.” 

“Do you not trust us?”  He asked.

“My answer is rather obvious, isn’t it?” 

“I guess you’re right.  Are you willing to go up against an entire family of carnivores as an herbivore?”  No wonder Hibari says that a lot.  Children learn from adults after all.  He stood up and glared at me.  He was much taller than me. 

“You seem to not understand the basic fundamentals of biology, but I don’t blame you.  After all, you were once manipulated by your family to have that demented thinking.”  I said with no emotion.

His eyes narrowed.  “Elaborate.  What do I not understand?” 

“You’re just as human as me.  Just because your family labels people in society a certain way doesn’t mean everyone else has to abide by those labels.  I never have and never will.” 

His glare got even worse.  It didn’t bother me like he wanted it to.  “I’ll tell my brother this is a declaration of war.” 

“War?”  I questioned with slight disbelief.

“Be prepared, little bird.  I was going to be nice and treat you gently.  Yet, you not only trample on me but my own family and ancestors with your disgusting words.  I’ll make sure you have a hard time escaping from Kyoto because I won’t be so nice like my brother has been.”  So, trying to kidnap me was being nice?

“And here you said you were the calmer of the two.” 

“I am.  You just knew the right words to push my buttons.” 

I chuckled innocently.  “It’s because I saw through you.” 

No matter how much he worsened his glare, it didn’t do anything to me.  “You didn’t see right through me.” 

“I did though.” 

His hand cupped my cheek.  “I really didn’t want to hurt you.  Birds are meant to be caged and protected.  The ones that escape their cage will die.  You will die if not contained.”  He’s threatening to kill me.  I couldn’t help but lean into his warm hand, surprising him. 

“If birds are meant to be caged, why do they have wings?  Why do birds fly?”  I questioned with a light voice.

“They fly to scavenge for food.” 

I sighed and took a hold of his hand.  “I’ve asked a lot of people that question and yet no one gives me the right answer.” 

“Why does my answer matter?” 

I gently squeezed his hand.  “It doesn’t matter anymore.” 

“What’s the right answer?”  I let go of his hand and turned my back to him.  When I started walking, he caught up to me.  “Where are you going?  I demand an answer.” 

“Brother.”  We both stopped and saw a man with black hair and cold eyes.  The man looked at me.  “You must be the one causing me trouble.” 

“I’d say the same.”  I commented.

“Are you accusing me of causing you trouble?”  I looked at the man next to me, ignoring the older brother.  “Can you leave me alone now?  I want to go home and the last train will be leaving soon.”  I asked. 

“You will be going with me.”  I looked back at the older brother who spoke. 

“And if I refuse?” 

“I will send my best men to bring you to me.” 

I tilted my head.  “Why do you want me?  It can’t be to just talk.  No normal person would send their best men to capture a girl to talk.”

“What are you doing out, brother?  I thought you were still at my house.”  The man next to me said.

“I was, but then one of my men spotted the bird.  I wanted to meet her in person.  I wanted to meet the one that was able to escape some of my men.”  He sounded like Hibari.

“It still won’t change my answer.  I don’t know what you want from me and I’m not going to unfamiliar territory alone.”  I learnt that the hard way.  Never go somewhere dangerous alone unless you have backup.

“It seems like this bird is smarter than the other herbivores.”  He commented, walking closer to me.  He looked familiar.  Was he Hibari’s father?  “You may have outrun my other men, but I assure you can’t run from my best.” 

“Don’t hurt her, brother.”  The younger brother pleaded.

“I don’t plan on it as long as she comes peacefully.  What do you say, little bird?  Will you come have tea with me?  We have a lot to discuss.”  He held his hand out.  I hesitated but grabbed his hand.  It was warm, unnervingly warm.  I quickly pulled away.  “What’s the matter?”  He asked.

“Your hand is warm.” 

“Do warm hands make you uncomfortable?” 

“They make me cautious.  At least I know to not trust you or your words.  You have no warmth in your heart.”  He didn’t answer.  I tried walking away but was caught by him.  His hand burned my wrist. 

“I wasn’t finished with you.” 

“Unhand me.” 

“You seem to not understand your circumstance.  Your life is in my hands.”  He said with no emotion.

“Does it seem like I take you seriously?  You’ll say something about you being stronger to intimidate me.”  I knew he’d fall for the oldest street trick in the book.

“Do you not care about your life?  I’m much stronger than you.  I’ll really hurt you.”  He froze after he spoke.  I had read his mind, though it was a trick I learned.  His types were easy to figure out what they were thinking.  “I’m tired.”  I shook my wrist out of his grasp and walked away.

Surprisingly, I wasn’t followed.  I looked at the time and saw it was almost time for the last train.  By the time I would get there, the train would have left already.  I was screwed.  I went into a convenience store and got myself a tea and a snack.  Upon exiting, I heard some people arguing in Italian nearby.  I walked over and saw five guys.  Some were arguing, laughing, and keeping quiet.  Everyone seemed to avoid them.  They looked like rough figures.

“Uh…”  I tried to speak up, but they were too loud.  They noticed me. 

“VOI!  Who the hell are you?!”  I grumbled with discomfort.  That was the loudest thing I’ve ever heard. 

“Do you need help?”  I asked in Italian. 

“You can speak Italian?  You’re Japanese.”  The blonde guy asked. 

“I studied in Italy for a year.  Do you need help finding a hotel or something?” 

“We’re fine.  We don’t need help from a girl.”  A large guy with spiky hair and piercings yelled at me. 

“Don’t yell at her, Levi.  She’s just trying to help us.”  A very flamboyant man said.  He walked over to me.  “What’s your name, dear?”  “Shiori.”  “Such a pretty name.  We’re trying to find a hotel, but we can’t find it.” 

“Can I see the address?  I might be able to help.” 

“Are you not from Kyoto?”  “No.  I’m originally from Tokyo but I live in a cursed town two hours away.”  The man gave me the piece of paper with the address.  “Oh.”  I said in realization. 

“You know where it is?” 

“You’re in the wrong city.  Your hotel is in Tokyo.” 

“Where are we?”  The silver haired man asked.  “Kyoto.” 

They were all silent.  “VOI!  Levi, you said you knew where we were going, you useless trash.”  I fought the urge to cover my ears.  “How long will it take us to get to Tokyo?”  The loud man asked.

“It’ll take two hours, but all the trains are closed and the taxis will make you pay an unreasonable amount of money.” 

“How much money are we talking about?”  The blonde asked.

I hummed, calculating the prices in my head.  “Probably…about two hundred.” 

“They make you pay that much?!”  Most of them yelled.

“It’s after hours and only few drivers will actually bring you.” 

“We’re stuck in this shit city.”  The loud man said again.

“There’s at least good food.”  I said, trying to help them stay pessimistic. 

“What are we talking about?”  The blonde asked.

“Takoyaki.” 

“What’s that?”  Levi asked. 

“They’re small balls with octopus and other spices inside.”  Their stomachs all roared in response.  “Can you be a dear and bring us to where the food is?  We’ll reward you.”  The flamboyant man asked.  They all nodded.  “I’ll bring you, but I don’t need to be rewarded.”  I started to walk and they all fallowed me. 

I stopped at a stall.  “Are you back for more?”  The man asked with a warm smile.

“No.  I brought a few people here.  Your stall is the best in the city after all.”  I said in a sweet tone. 

“Really?  I’m not the best here at all.”  The man said, waving his hand up and down.

I shook my head.  “Your takoyaki is light and fluffy with the right balance of flavors and ratios.  It’s perfect.” 

He laughed.  “I haven’t had that big of a compliment in years.  Most youngsters like heavy takoyaki.  It’s refreshing to know you have good taste.  How about I give you and your friends some takoyaki on the house?” 

“That’ll be wonderful.”  I turned at their shocked expressions.  “What?”  I questioned.

“Did you just get us free food?”  I nodded with a smile.  The man gave me my portion.  Once everyone got theirs, they just stared. 

“What the stuff on top?  It’s moving.”  Levi asked.  “They’re bonito flakes.  It’s dried fish.”  The silver haired man took a bite and yelled.  “It’s hot.” 

“Open them with your chopsticks to cool them a little bit.”  I explained.  “They’re delicious!”  I was happy they all found it appetizing.  There was a man with red eyes just staring at me with indifference.  Red eyes are pretty uncommon and they seemed natural. 

“Where to next, Shiori?  We’re still hungry.”  The flamboyant man said.  All of their stomachs roared.

“What do you guys like to eat?”  “Meat.”  I should have seen that coming.  They didn’t seem like the kind to reach for a salad.  “Well, there’s a steakhouse that is Brazilian style.”  “That sounds exotic.”  “It just means there’s unlimited meat of all kinds.” 

These somewhat terrifying men became children when it came to food, especially meat.  While walking to the steakhouse, I could see the two brothers watching.  I slowly hid from them by shielding myself using the large Italians.  I picked up my pace while I was told everyone’s names thanks to Lussuria.  Then, I stopped in front of the restaurant. 

“Well, this is it.”  We could all smell the meat from outside.  My stomach softly roared.  It smelled delicious.

“Aren’t you going to join us?”  Lussuria asked me.

“I don’t have enough money to eat here.  It’s too expensive for me.” 

“We’ll pay for you.”  He said, looking at everyone behind him.

“Mammon wouldn’t like that.”  Bel said. Mammon must be one of their friends.  Though, none of them seemed like friends.

“I’ll take care of him.  Besides, Shiori was the only one to approach us.”  Lussuria reasoned with Bel.

“Really?”  I asked a little surprised.

“Really.  Everyone else is afraid of us.”  The blond said.

“I can see that.  I’m surprised a Yakuza member didn’t approach you.” 

“You’re not afraid of us.”  The silver haired man said, getting right in my face even if he had to bend a little bit. 

“Don’t get in her face like that, Squalo.  You’re just hungry.”  Lussuria scolded.

“I’m not afraid because I have no reason to.  You haven’t showed me a reason to be scared.”  I explained honestly.

“Our appearances are scary.”  Bel said. 

“I’m originally from Tokyo.  I’m used to rough characters and went to school with a lot of Yakuza members.  They’d always fight every day.  Besides, I’d rather not impose on your dinner.” 

Squalo turned to Xanxus.  “Well?” 

“Let her join.”  I don’t know why, but his voice was comforting to me.  I wanted to hear more of it.  We all walked in.  A waiter looked at the men with fear.  “Table for six.”  I spoke.  He looked down at me and relaxed.  “This way.” 

We all sat down at a table.  At the head was Xanxus.  Beside him were Squalo and Levi.  That made me the head at the other end of the table with Bel and Lussuria on either side of me.  I was way out of my element.  They were all semi-dressed up and here I was in a simple dress.  The waiter would ask me everyone’s order since he was too terrified of the men.  It didn’t bother me.  Strange enough, I felt comfortable around them.  I was happy it actually gave me a chance to get in the swing of using Italian again.  The men all ordered large portions of meat.  I was almost afraid they’d eat everything in the restaurant.  The waiter walked over and handed me a note.  It smelled like orchids. 

Lussuria noticed and stared with interest.  “Did you get a boy’s number?  I hope he’s good looking.” 

It was far from that.  It was a threat.  In their eyes, it was an official declaration of war.  To me, it was an annoying message that meant more fines for mom and dad.  I could feel two pairs of eyes glaring at me from the outside.  They were going to do anything in their power to capture me. 

I gave Lussuria a small smile.  Not even my parents could see through it.  “It’s just something I dropped on the way in.” 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Dinner was interesting.  Half way through, they were all devouring meat like they were hungry lions.  Though, it was impressive they still kept their manners.  I mostly watched them eat so much versus eating my own plate.

“So, Shiori, what’s school like here?”  Lussuria questioned me with honest interest.

“It’s like any other school but with uniforms that change depending on where you study.” 

“That sounds boring.  Where did you study in Italy?”  Lussuria kept asking questions. 

“I studied in northern Italy.” 

“Have you studied in any other country?” 

I put my utensils down and hummed.  There were so many places I had to count on my fingers.  “There was America, Canada, Italy, and Spain.  I almost studied in Russia, but I decided to stay in Japan.” 

“I’m so glad you decided to stay.  We would have been lost forever.” 

“I’m sure you would have figured things out eventually.”  I commented, putting a piece of meat in my mouth.  It was the best meat I’ve ever had in my life.

“Still, that’s impressive to have studied in so many places at such a young age.” 

“It’s…something alright.”  I said quietly.  It wasn’t like I hated it.  I was hardly around my parents.  I knew they wanted to best for me, but sometimes I just wanted to shake them.  It was frustrating. 

“You must have friends all over the world then.” 

“Well…”  I said softly. 

“You didn’t make any friends?”  Lussuria questioned.

“I don’t have any.”  Everyone at the table stopped eating when they heard me.  They looked at me with some surprise.

“You don’t have any?”  Levi questioned quietly. 

“No.  Is it that surprising?”  I asked, tilting my head with hopes it’ll make them stop staring.  It wasn’t working well.  Only Xanxus resumed eating.

“You’re a pleasant person to be around.  We’re just shocked someone like you doesn’t have any friends.”  Lussuria said with a frown.

“I’m mostly ignored.”  I replied.

“Why?”  Bel asked. 

“I’m too plain.  I can blend in with any crowd and not be found.” 

“That has its benefits too.”  Lussuria said positively.  He was trying to make light of everything.

“I’m well aware of the benefits.”  After being chased, I’m actually happy I can blend in.  Those idiots could walk right past me when I take my ribbon off.  Practically anyone can.

“Is there anything interesting about you?”  Bel asked me. 

“I wouldn’t consider myself interesting.” 

I was just bringing down the mood.  I had a feeling this would happen since it happens quite often.  This was why I didn’t want to eat with everyone.  I tend to do that to any mood.  Maybe that was my real super power other than blending in.  When we finished dinner, we started walking around the streets.  It was already dark out.  How will I get home now?  I looked at my phone and saw just how late it was.  My parents weren’t worried about me when they should be.  I should have at least a message or two.

“What shall we do now, Shiori?”  Lussuria asked, putting his hands on my shoulders. 

“Well, I was hoping to go home.” 

“Don’t you live two hours away?”  He asked.

“I do.” 

“If you want to go home, I will bring you home.  After all, the trains are all down for the night.”  I turned my attention back to that man.  His younger brother wasn’t with him.

“Look at that, Shiori.  He’s willing to help.”  Lussuria said happily.

“I refuse.”  I spat out. 

“Huh?”  Lussuria and his friends were confused at my answer. 

“I gave you my answer earlier.  It seems like you have the inability to listen as well.”  I said.  He turned his back to me. 

“I hope you won’t get too hurt, little bird.  I’ll only clip those wings of yours tonight as a warning.  I’ll make sure you won’t be able to fly anymore.”  He walked away. 

“What was that about?”  Squalo asked me. 

Quietly, I started to stretch before fixing my breathing.  I’ll need to be on my A-game tonight to survive until the trains reopen.  I do know the area quite well, so hiding won’t be an issue.  “Shiori?”  I needed to get out of here quickly.  He won’t go easy on me or will give me time to run.  I’m sure his men are already around.

“I’m sorry.  I need to run.”  I said with a small smile.

“Is he after you?”  Squalo questioned.

“Unfortunately.” 

“Why?” 

I shrugged my shoulders.  “I have no clue, but he’s been after me for a while.  He wants to talk to me but refuses to tell me about what.” 

“Why not just talk to him?”  Bel asked.

I turned to him with a frown.  “He tried to kidnap me once before.  Why would I want to talk to someone like that?” 

“Do you want us to help?”  Squalo asked.

I tilted my head with confusion.  I’m not sure how they’d help me.  “I’m not sure what you can do, but I think I can handle things myself.  I do have a special ability after all.” 

“You do?” 

I took the ribbon out of my hair with a small smile.  “I can walk all the way home as long as I’m like this.”  “Won’t they recognize you?”  That’s when men ran past me.  “See?  I blend into any crowd well.” 

“You can stay with us for the night.  We can protect you.”  Lussuria said seriously. 

“That’s okay but thank you for the kind offer.  I’d rather not get you all involved in my business.  I’d be too worried you’d get hurt on my behalf.” 

“What if you get hurt and kidnapped?”  He asked.

“If that happens, it’s my own fault for not being able to get away.”  I gave them a small bow.  “I hope you find your hotel in Tokyo by tomorrow.  The first train leaves here at five in the morning.”

The Varia watched Shiori walk away from them.  “I almost feel bad for her.”  Levi spoke quietly. 

“I want to follow her.”  Lussuria said with his motherly voice.  Squalo looked at Xanxus.  He seemed in a daze. 

“Xanxus.”  Squalo called out.

“What?” 

“What should we do?”  Squalo asked.

“Do whatever you want.”  They all gasped with shock.  Did Xanxus, one of the most terrifying men in the mafia, not mind Shiori? 

“Let’s follow her!  The poor thing is defenseless and weak against men.”  The Varia started following, however, lost her trace pretty quickly.  The only one it surprised was Squalo.  Xanxus started to lead the group. 

“VOI!  Do you even know where you’re going?”                Squalo yelled at Xanxus.

Xanxus ignored him and kept walking, as if being pulled in a certain direction.  Lussuria was the only one who was interested in this.  Xanxus never had tolerance for anyone and yet didn’t say a word against Shiori.  In fact, he’s the one leading them to her.  They heard a commotion and knew they were close.  A couple more steps later, they saw Shiori at the top of a swing set kicking away the men climbing towards her. 

“Just come down, little bird.  We won’t hurt you too bad.”  A man said.

“Go to hell, trash!”  Shiori yelled, kicking a man in the head.  He fell onto his back and didn’t get up.

They looked at Xanxus.  “She picked up on that without you even saying that.”  Bel said with a snicker.  

Shiori stood up and walked to the other side and sat down.  The men were losing their patience and started climbing both sides.  Shiori was trapped.  Once they got near her, she did the unthinkable and jumped from that height.  She landed and tumbled.  Getting right back up, Shiori looked up. 

“Idiots.  With that weight…”  The entire piece of equipment fell to the ground.  “With that weight, it’ll break.”  Some got back up and glared at Shiori.  “Oh, come on!  Why can’t you leave me alone?” 

“You insulted our family.” 

“I did for a good reason.  You use distorted logic and manipulation to force others to go along with it.  It’s honestly disgusting.  I refuse to follow anything you scum want me to do.”  Shiori explained with a scoff.  She seemed different than when she was with the Varia.

Someone was coming up behind her.  For some reason, she was able to duck right before she was hurt.  She elbowed him in the stomach and kicked him as hard as she could. 

“She has a strong intuition.”  A voice in the shadow said.

“Mammon!” 

“Where were you?”  Bel asked. 

“I was taking out our target in Tokyo while you lot had a vacation.” 

“Levi here got us lost.”  Bel explained.

Mammon kept his eyes on the mystery girl.  “She can pack a punch too.  Who is she?” 

“That’s Shiori.  She helped us before being chased.”  Lussuria explained.

“Did you scare her?” 

“No.  She came right up to us speaking Italian.  She didn’t seem scared at all.”  Mammon was a little surprised.  Usually, everyone is afraid of them, especially Xanxus.

They could all see Shiori was exhausted.  There were still a few men left.  She slowly backed up.  Mammon saw her breathing slow down.  What was she up to?  She jumped up onto the uneven bars and lifted herself up. 

“What is she doing?”  Squalo asked with confusion. 

She stood on top of the bar and took a few more deep breaths.  It was as if time slowed down.  She fell backwards.  That’s when she caught the higher bar and started to spin. 

“I’m confused.”  Levi said. 

“Can’t you tell?  She’s a gymnast.”  Mammon said just as Shiori swung back to the lower bar and kicked a guy in the head.  “She’s using her momentum to give a more powerful attack.  Though, I doubt she’ll last much longer.”  Shiori collapsed onto the ground after getting punched in the gut.  One of the men picked her up by her hair. 

“Looks like you’re done for.”  He threw her across the ground.  The Varia watched her body roll on the ground as if she was a doll.  Another man kicked her in the stomach.  She didn’t even yelp in pain. 

“She’s unconscious.”  Lussuria wasn’t the only one who didn’t like what was happening.  One of them brought out a curved pocket knife and hovered over Shiori. 

My entire body hurt.  Why was I being targeted in the first place?  Was it because I wanted to go to a cram school?  Could it be because I escaped the first kidnapping?  No one would get mad over that.  At least, no one with a common sense would get mad.  The way my mom has been acting lately made sense if I think about it.  It could have been I didn’t want to listen to illogical statements.  I saw a man with a blade hovering over me. 

“I’m surprised.  You’re actually conscious.  If only you talked and went peacefully, I wouldn’t have to scar you.”  He said with a demented smile.

Scar me?  That didn’t seem too bad.  I wouldn’t be in any more pain than I was in now.  “Will you let me hear your screams?”  I didn’t feel like screaming.  I was too tired.  It was probably from how warm I felt.  My eyes started to slowly close.  ‘Do you really want to lie and die?’  A voice asked me.  It was a voice from the past.  ‘If you’re going to die, don’t go without one hell of a fight.’  I have no more fight in me.  There’s nothing left.  My body relaxed completely.  This was it I guess.

“Boss, we need to do something.”  Lussuria pleaded, but Xanxus kept watching. 

“Wait.”  Mammon said. 

“Why?  She’s going to get seriously injured.”  Lussuria said with worry. 

“Look at her.”  Lussuria and the rest saw Shiori lift her hand. 

“Does she really think she can deflect a blade with how weak she is?”  Bel questioned. 

“Keep quiet and watch.”  In a split second, she quickly grabbed the man’s wrist and head-butted him with a battle cry. 

“She was just playing possum.”  Levi said.

“That’s not it.  She’s past exhaustion.  She’s running on pure instincts.  We all have them.  When our lives are at stake, we either fight or flee.”  Mammon explained.

Shiori got up and took the knife in her hand.  She looked up with dull eyes, but Xanxus saw different.  He saw a scorching fury that hid behind her calm composure.  The man she stole the knife from ran at her.  There was no hesitation, no regret in stabbing him.  He let out a scream.  Mammon let out a gasp.  How could something like that be so destructive? 

“What is it now?”  Squalo asked. 

“You can’t feel it?”  Mammon questioned.

“Feel what?” 

“Never mind.”  They all watched as Shiori fell unconscious.  Xanxus turned to his subordinates.  “Retrieve the girl.” 

That was all they needed to hear to run over to Shiori.  “Boss.” 

“What?” 

“Did you feel it?”  Mammon asked which made Squalo even more confused. 

“No.  I saw it.”  Xanxus replied.  He’d never forget what that flame looked at.

“What are you two talking about?”  Squalo asked.

“I’ve never known a cloud flame to be destructive on its own.”  Mammon replied to Xanxus.

“What?!”  Squalo yelled.

Lussuria, Levi, and Bel walked back with Shiori in Lussuria’s arms.  “Some parts of her skin are burned for some reason.”  Mammon looked at Xanxus and then at Shiori.  A cloud flame isn’t supposed to destroy things by itself. 

“Should we bring her to the hospital?”  Levi asked. 

“She’s coming with us.”  Xanxus’s word was final.  No one questioned him.

“I have a car ready to go to Tokyo.”  Mammon said before floating in the direction of said car. 

Squalo kept looking at the girl even when they got in the car.  She seemed normal, but at the same time, she wasn’t.  She started to cough violently.  Some blood got onto Lussuria who was still holding her. 

“Don’t worry, Lussuria.  This is the first time she’s used her flame.  This is just a side effect.”  Mammon said, reassuring Lussuria.

“How do you know it’s her first time?”  Bel asked. 

“I felt it being released.  It was as if a gate broke down.  She’ll probably have a bad fever.”  Mammon explained.  At first, Shiori’s aura was calm.  When her life was threatened and she succumbed to her instinct, it was like a large wave of power and anger radiated off her.

“Shouldn’t we bring her to the hospital then?”  Levi questioned. 

“Medicine won’t help flame exhaustion.”  “Can’t you help her, Mammon?”  Mammon sighed and floated towards Shiori.  “I guess I can help ease her pain.” 

What Mammon saw when he peaked into her mind was something unexpected.  It was beautiful actually.  A field of white flowers as far as the eye could see contrasted with the black sky.  However, he was able to find Shiori passed out in the field with her hands interlaced lying over her stomach.  She wore a long red scarf.  Usually, a person’s mind tells a lot about them.  Shiori’s mind was different than what Mammon was used to.  It was peaceful.  If her mind was chaotic, she’d have a hard time recovering. 

“So?”  Squalo asked.  Mammon had gotten out of Shiori’s mind.

“Her mind is peaceful which is something I didn’t expect.  I didn’t have to do anything.”  Mammon hasn’t seen a peaceful mind in a long time.

“What did her mind tell you?”  Bel asked. 

“For some people, they have a clear, blue sky.  Shiori was different.  It was completely black.” 

“Doesn’t black represent anger?”  Squalo questioned.

“It does, but the ground was covered in white flowers.  She was passed out wearing a red scarf.” 

“That’s unusual.”  Lussuria commented.

Mammon nodded.  “I’m not sure what the significance of the red scarf is, but it’s what makes her feel safe.”  Mammon knew what the real significance was.  If he told them, they’d start to worry.  Red usually means scarring or something traumatic the person went through.  Since it was clothing, she’s been mentally scarred by something she couldn’t talk about.  It made sense she went through something bad considering how calm she was while being attacked. 

At the hotel, everyone went to sleep.  They were exhausted.  However, Xanxus was having trouble sleeping.  He went to check on Shiori for the heck of it.  She was tossing and turning as if in pain.  He walked closer and saw how terrified she looked.  Sitting down, Xanxus kept watching.  Mammon came into the room. 

“I’m surprised you’re here, boss.” 

“I can’t sleep.” 

Mammon got on the bed.  “She’s having a more severe reaction than I thought.  I can’t get inside her mind.  She knew I was in there and automatically went into lockdown mode after I left.” 

“So, we just wait?” 

“Yes, but there is one thing that might work.”  Xanxus looked at Mammon.  “A sky flame can harmonize with other flames.  You might be able to calm her flame down.” 

“With my flame?  I’d kill her.” 

“Despite your flame of wrath, it’s still a sky flame.  Just give it a shot.  Make sure to be gentle.”  Xanxus got up and stared at his hand.  A small flame appeared.  It wasn’t like his usual flame, but it took a lot of restraint. 

“Just put the flame to her forehead.”  Once Xanxus did, her eyes opened wide.  She stared intensely into Xanxus’ eyes before slowly falling asleep.  “It looks like it worked for now.” 

When I woke up, I was in an unfamiliar place.  I must have been captured by those men.  It only made sense.  Though, I did feel a lot better and calmer.

“Good morning.” 

I quickly sat up with shock.  “Lussuria?” 

“You look a lot better.  How do you feel?” 

“I’m confused.  Why are you here?” 

“We helped you before those people took you.” 

“Why?” 

Lussuria walked in and sat on the bed.  “You helped us.  It’s only fair we help you.” 

“I didn’t do anything to be worth saving.  Did you get hurt?”  I asked, looking all over to see if he was scratched.

“Your kind heart makes me so happy.  There was no way those men would hurt me and the rest.” 

“The others are here too?  Where am I?” 

“In Tokyo.”  My eyes widened.  We went from Kyoto to Tokyo.  At least I knew the area.  I’d be able to go home without any hassle.  “We’re about to leave to eat breakfast.  Would you like to join?” 

“Is that okay?  I mean, you already saved my life.  You don’t need to be kind to me.” 

Lussuria put a hand on my head.  “You talk about yourself like a burden on us.  Don’t worry, dear.  You’re far from one.”  I looked away and sighed.  I wasn’t used to this kind of treatment.  While everyone would ignore me, these strange people did the opposite.  “Let’s go, Shiori.” 

When we walked to the main lobby, I saw the rest of them.  “You’re finally up.”  I bowed deeply to them.  “Thank you and I’m sorry for being an unnecessary burden.” 

“You can repay us by showing us around Tokyo.  This is where you’re from after all.”  Lussuria chimed in happily.  I looked at the rest and they nodded.  “Okay.” 

“So, Shiori, where’s somewhere good to eat breakfast?”  Bel asked. 

“Well, there are a couple of places, but if you don’t mind, there’s one I’ve been wanting to go to for a while.” 

“Go on and lead the way.”  Lussuria said softly.

I nodded and started walking, leading terrifying looking men.  Some of the local yakuza stared at me.  They didn’t care about the men.  They kept their eyes on me. 

“Why are those punks looking at you?”  Levi asked.

“It’s a long story.”  I stopped in front of a traditional restaurant in an alley way.  “Watch your heads.”  When we walked in, a bottle was thrown at me.  I caught it with ease.  “Your aim is still as impeccable as always, Syoko.”  I commented, putting the bottle on a small table nearby.  An elderly woman laughed at my comment. 

“Ah!  It’s little Shiori.”  She looked behind me.  “My, you always attract the strangest of crowds.” 

“I’m aware.  Can we get a table?” 

“Of course!  Go ahead and pick what table you want.”  I went to a large table in the corner at sat down.  The rest followed my lead. 

The guys just looked around.  “Why are there only yakuza in this place?”  Squalo asked me. 

“The owner is the widow of a well-respected yakuza leader.” 

“How did you find this place?”  He asked again. 

“Shiori likes to explore and found this place while a few men were having a little fight.  The poor thing was so pure and terrified.  It pissed me off how the men stared at her as if she was a threat.  So, I made her an honorary family member to protect her.”  Syoko said, putting tea down for us. 

“You’re yakuza?”  Levi questioned me with surprise. 

“Yes and no.”  “You are when you step in here.  Will the special suffice?”  Syoko asked.  “Yes, please.”  She smiled and left with our orders. 

“Special?”  Bel asked. 

“It’s their specialty.” 

We waited for a few minutes in complete silence.  Then, a few waitresses came out with our food.  On the trays were our specials.  It was essentially a traditional breakfast, but the portions were a lot bigger.  Syoko came to my side with a couple extra pickled plums.  My stomach rumbled, creating a loud echo.  The men stared at me with surprise.  “I’m hungry.”  I said with embarrassment.  “Should I get extra rice?”  Syoko asked me.  “That’d be nice.” 

The men really liked the food and couldn’t stop eating and complimenting.  My extra serving of rice came out.  “Can you finish all of that?”  Levi asked. 

“Don’t doubt that stomach of hers.  When she did gymnastics, she’d eat three times the amount she has on that plate of hers.” 

“Really?”  I nodded, stuffing more rice into my mouth. 

By the time everyone was finished, I was given an apple.  “You can still eat more?”  Squalo asked, almost in awe at my stomach.  “I’ll be satisfied after my dessert, but you all can leave if you’d like.  I can find my way home.” 

“I want to see more of Tokyo with you, Shiori.  You need to take us to the best places you know.”  Lussuria said.  None of them seemed to disagree.  Syoko smiled at me from a distance, urging me to go.

“There’s an old school blacksmith around the area I know pretty well.  I used be an apprentice for fun.” 

“You can make swords?”  Squalo seemed to have fires in his eyes. 

“I can fix any blade, but I can’t create one.  That takes many years of discipline and training I don’t feel like doing.” 

“You keep surprising us.”  Lussuria said with a bright smile. 

“Really?” 

“Let’s go!”  Squalo demanded.  We all stood and left after paying. 

“Visit again, Shiori.  You’re the only one who doesn’t destroy the place.”  Syoko responded. 

“I will if I have time.” 

We left and kept walking away from Tokyo.  “If I didn’t trust you, I’d think we’d be going towards a trap.”  Levi said.  He was slightly glaring at me. 

“That’s how I felt the first time I came here.  I thought I’d be attacked, but it’s like this to scare off people.” 

We could hear the sounds of a hammer hitting metal.  We walked in.  “Who the hell is here?!”  “It’s me, old man.  I brought a few acquaintances that are new to town.”  Genzo, the owner, looked up and laughed. 

“Still no friends?”  He asked.

“Please leave the subject alone.” 

“Well, come in and make yourself at home.” 

Squalo kept looking at everything and commenting about the differences of each sword to us.  It was specifically me he was talking to.  Though, I knew all of that because of Genzo.  Squalo would look too disappointed if I told him I knew everything.  Plus, it was nice to see someone who has the same passion as Genzo.

“You seem like you know a lot about swords, boy.”  Genzo commented from his work station.

“I’m one of the best swordsmen alive!  I need to know this!” 

“One of the best you say?  Let’s have a chat.  I’ll be the one to determine if you’re as good as you say.”  Genzo looked at me.  “Go ahead and explore.  This’ll take a while.” 

I turned to the rest.  “If you all want to hear hours of boring history and techniques, you can stay.  I’m leaving.”  In the end, everyone left Squalo there.  “Where to now?”  Bel asked me. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Why are you walking without a destination in mind?”  He asked.

“We might find something fun.”  We kept walking for a few minutes.  Nothing was really catching my eye. 

“Look what we have here, boys.”  A familiar, annoying voice said in the alley way we were in.  I let out a heavy sigh and prepared myself for the worse.  “Great.  And I thought I got away from those idiots.” 


	4. Chapter 4

Three yakuza members walked over.  Their idiotic looking faces “If it isn’t white bread Shiori.”  I clicked my tongue.  I hated that nickname.  “Where the hell did you go?  You suddenly abandoned us.  No one told us anything.” 

“I don’t know either of you.”  I said, wanting them to leave.

“C’mon, white bread.  You don’t remember us?” 

“Stop calling me white bread.  You three know I hate that nickname.”  The guys behind me were confused at the whole situation and stayed quiet. 

“Who are those guys behind you?  Are they clients?”  One of the guys asked.

“Is that rumor still going on about me?”  I questioned.

“It’s gotten worse.  Apparently, you moved because you got pregnant with a teacher’s kid.” 

I shook my head out of frustration.  “Those idiots.  You don’t believe them, do you?” 

“We did at first.” 

I made a noise, making the three Yakuza laugh.  I should have known these idiots believed it.  I was joking with them one day and told them the sky is actually purple and said something scientific to back up my claims.  They were gullible to believe it even though the other students knew exactly what I was doing.  They just stood by and either laughed or shook their heads.  “How about you idiots go to the library and study?  I’m sure you’re all failing your classes.”  I said.

“Woah!  How did you know?” 

“Idiots will forever be idiots.”  They all left after a good laugh.  I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.  My stress levels were slowly rising.

“Who were they?”  Bel asked me. 

“I used to tutor them.  Their family payed me good money to make sure their sons would pass.”  I said in a groan.

“What did he mean by clients?”  Levi asked me. 

“He meant what you’re thinking.”

“That isn’t true though.  Why did he assume that?”  Lussuria asked me. 

“Upon being able to blend in, I’m also a good target for bullies with insecurities.  There was a rumor I’d sleep with the people I tutored.  I’m not sure who started the rumor.  I never cared for rumors like that or understood the reason for them.” 

“Are you sure it didn’t affect you?”  Lussuria asked. 

“I’m sure.  I have better things to worry about.” 

“Like what?” 

“Other things, Lussuria.” 

“So mysterious.”  Lussuria cooed.

“There’s no deeper meaning to it.”  I stopped at a café.  “Well, I’ll be in here.  Be free to do as you please.”  This was too much social interaction in one day.  I was getting a headache from everything. 

“Is there anything fun around here?”  Lussuria questioned.

“There is a karaoke place.” 

“Oh!  That sounds exciting!”  Lussuria pulled Bel and Levi with him. 

This just left Xanxus.  I thought he’d walk away, but he followed me into the café.  At least he didn’t exhaust me like the others.  A waiter walked over. 

“What would you two like?” 

“I’ll take a coffee and chocolate cake.”  I said.

“Coffee.”  The waiter walked away.  I laid my head on the table.  It was pounding like I had a hangover.  “Are you alright?”  Xanxus asked.  It was one of the few times I heard him speak. 

“I get headaches easily if I have too much social interaction.  I usually keep it to a minimum.  It helps that people don’t usually strike up conversations with me.” 

“At least you don’t have to deal with those idiots every day.”  Xanxus replied.

“It must be loud and invasive.” 

“You don’t know the half of it.” 

We got our order.  I was thankful for the power of coffee and cake.  One sip and it made me instantly relax.  The entire café was quiet since we were the only ones in there.  I looked at Xanxus and tilted my head out of habit whenever I was thinking. 

“What?”  He asked.

“It’s nothing.” 

“Is it the scars?”  I nodded.  “What about them?”  He questioned.

“I’m curious how you got them.  I can’t think of anything other than a flame that can do that damage.  I can’t imagine the pain you experienced.”  I explained softly and didn’t make eye contact.

“A flame did cause these scars.”  He must have been burned.  Poor guy. 

“Well, it adds to your terrifying image if that’s what you’re going for.”  I tried to sound positive.  The scars did make him more intimidating.  I’m sure it’s why people are weary about him.

I took another sip of my coffee.  Unlike everyone else, I didn’t mind the silence between us.  It wasn’t an awkward silence. I looked out the window and saw the three that left watching us from afar.  Xanxus looked and saw what I saw.  I was confused.  Why were they watching us? 

“Do you know why they’re watching us?”  I asked and looked at Xanxus.  He was glaring at the three.  Uh oh.  I looked back at the three and then Xanxus.  Wait.  Levi and Bel don’t seem like the karaoke type.  Lussuria dragged them for a reason.  It all clicked.  I looked between Xanxus and then the three over again.  Xanxus just looked angry like usual. 

I’ve never been more confused.  Not even the Namimori Syndrome confused me like this.  I took a bite of my cake.  It’s been at least two minutes and Xanxus was still glaring at them.  It seemed like his glare got worse.  I took my phone out after receiving an email.  It was about my application for the cram school.  I opened the email up.  Huh?  My eyes widened.  I was rejected?  How?  I should have gotten in.  I let out a small gasp, remembering what I was told last night.  They stopped the application from proceeding.  From the corner of my eye, I saw a man snickering at me from his spot.  He was part of the family and was keeping an eye on me.  I stood up and walked out the café, dragging my chair behind me.  My eyes went straight to the man in the shadows. 

“I’m sorry, Shiori!  We didn’t mean any harm!”  I ignored Lussuria’s scream.  I didn’t care about them.  I cared about the shadow. 

“She’s gone crazy.”  Levi muttered.

I threw the chair, hitting the man.  The three looked with shock.  “Was he after you?”  Levi questioned.  I ran to him before he could escape.  I pinned him to the ground. 

“Who did it?”  I asked dangerously.

“Who do you think?  You should have just gone peacefully.  Now, you’ll face the consequences!”  I was shaking with anger.  A few shadows hovered over me.  I looked up and saw the guys from my previous school.  They were the ones that stopped us earlier.

“Did he anger you, Shiori?”  “If so, should we keep him alive?” 

I scoffed and glared at the man before getting up.  “Feed him to the wolves.  Make him face the consequences.”

The guys dragged him into an alleyway.  I turned and saw the four.  Xanxus had walked over to see what was going on.  “What?”  I asked.

“Who was that?”  Bel asked me.

“I don’t know, but he’s part of the family that was after me last night.” 

“Did he try to hurt you?”  Levi asked.

“No.”  I grasped my head from pain. 

“Are you alright?”  Lussuria asked with worry.  He seemed genuine.

“I…hate getting angry.  It hurts too much.”  I crouched down and waited for the feeling to go away. 

“What did he do to get that reaction from you?”  Bel asked. 

“He laughed at me because he saw my reaction.” 

“That’s a whole other level.  That’s almost as bad as boss.”  Lussuria said with shock.

I shook my head.  “They stopped my application to a cram school I would have no problem getting in.  He saw my reaction and it pissed me off.” 

“Where did those boys go with him?”  Lussuria asked me. 

“They’re going to bring him to their families and one by one, they’ll break him, spirit and all.  I’m hoping he stays alive.” 

“Why?” 

“It’ll send those bastards a message to leave me alone.”  The feeling went away and I let out a sigh of relief.  I stood up and dusted my clothes off.  “Much better.” 

“Do you not know how to deal with anger?”  Bel asked me. 

“No.  I’ve never really been angry except for recently.”  It was a lie, but I knew they’d believe me in an instant.  I picked up the chair and sighed.  “I’ll return the chair and go home.” 

After returning the chair and paying, I exited and saw Squalo with everyone.  He looked happier than a kid in a candy store.  I’m sure he had a long talk with Genzo.  Even when I was Genzo’s apprentice, his passion would overflow into you.  It was contagious.  I walked over to them. 

“Are you sure you’re going home?”  Lussuria asked as Squalo turned around. 

“Why are you leaving so soon?”  He asked with a frown.

“I want to.  I’ve passed my limit of interactions today.”  

“Nonsense!”  Squalo smacked my back multiple times.  I sighed heavily.  It hurt.  “You alright?” 

“I want to crawl up into a hole a die.”  I whined.

“Don’t talk like that, Shiori!”  Lussuria lightly smacked my head.  “Don’t think bad thoughts.” 

“But if I die, I won’t have to deal with those bastards.” 

“We can protect you.”  He said.

“That’s not an option.” Lussuria seemed to have gotten upset over what I said.

“We won’t get hurt.  We’re strong.” 

“It’s still my business.” 

“Please?  At least let us do something.” 

“If it’ll make you shut the hell up, I don’t care what you do.”  Lussuria hugged me tightly, lifting me off the ground.  I stared at the rest who seemed the opposite of surprised.  This must be a normal thing with Lussuria.  He let go and went to Xanxus, taking off one of the feathers off his left ear. 

“Trash.”  Xanxus said as a warning.

“Oh shush.  It’s for Shiori.”  Lussuria walked to me and quickly pierced my left ear. 

“W-what?!”  I almost yelled.

“There.  This way you’ll be protected by us at all times.” 

“How?”  “It’s like a charm.”  “You do realize I can’t wear this during school, right?”  “Make it a keychain and then wear it when you’re out and about.  Either way, it’s cute on you.” 

Squalo was more than shocked seeing what Lussuria did.  Why did Xanxus not kill him?  Bel snickered seeing Squalo’s face.  Something had to have happened while he was gone.  The most confusing thing was Xanxus didn’t seem to mind.

“There.  You’re free to go.”  Lussuria said softly to Shiori.

“Are you sure?  You’re not going to do something weird again?”  She questioned.

“No.  We must have tired you out.” 

“You were part of it, but it wasn’t bad as others.” 

“Really?” 

“Others immediately drain me of energy after small talk.  Even though you guys are loud, it wasn’t as exhausting.  You’re all very strange.”  Most couldn’t help but smile.  Shiori was adorable despite her violent tendencies. 

“Do you have enough money to go home?”  Levi asked her.

“I should have enough.”  In the end, the Varia escorted Shiori to the train station.  “You didn’t have to do that.” 

“After all you’ve done for us it’s the least we could do.”  Lussuria reassured her.

She shook her head.  “I didn’t do anything.” 

“We had fun, plus Squalo hasn’t been yelling in our ears today.” 

“Any day like that is heaven.”  Bel snickered as Squalo smacked him.  Shiori got her ticket and bowed. 

“Thank you for everything.” 

“Don’t say that like we won’t see each other.”  Lussuria told her.

“It’s not likely I’ll see you all again.”  She said with a small smile.

“You never know.  This world is small.”  Bel commented. 

“Plus, we’re all friends.  It’d be bad if we didn’t see each other.”  Lussuria knew the right thing to say that would get a reaction out of her.

“F-f-friends?!”  She stuttered with pure shock.  Her hands were shaking.  She really didn’t have friends.  They nodded.  “You’re going to miss your train.”  “Ah!” 

After Shiori left, they all felt empty.  “Trash.”  They turned to Xanxus.  “Do that again and I’ll kill you.” 

“There’s our boss.”  Bel said with a snicker.

“C’mon, even you’re worried about her.”  Lussuria pouted at Xanxus.

“I’ll kill you.”  Xanxus threatened. 

Squalo turned to Bel.  “What the hell happened while I was gone?”  Bel showed Squalo his phone.  On it was Xanxus and Shiori in a café together, alone.  Xanxus didn’t look angry one bit.  He seemed relaxed.  “What the hell did she do to you?!”  All it took was one glare to stop Squalo from asking even more. 

“Are you idiots done?”  Mammon said, floating over to them. 

“You should have visited with Shiori.”  Lussuria said.

“She’d pass out the second she saw me.  Let’s get back home.”  They left to the airport where they boarded on their private jet.  Mammon was interested in Shiori.  She was able to calm the boss down just by her presence.  In fact, she was able to get all of them to calm down by her presence alone.  Maybe she could be of use in the future.  Back in Italy, they all reported to Nono. 

“That took you longer than usual.  Was everything alright?”  Nono asked.

“We met a wonderful person.  Her name is Shiori.  She helped us when we were lost and even showed us around.”  Lussuria said with a large smile.

“She knew a student of a master swordsmith.”  Squalo chimed in. 

Nono sighed.  “Please tell me you didn’t scare her.”  He said, preparing himself to hear the usual words.  “She came up to us, asking if we were lost.” 

“That’s interesting.  I’m sure you would have scared her.” 

“The only reason she came up to us was because we were speaking Italian and she knew the language.”  Levi commented.

“That must have been refreshing.”  Nono commented happily. 

“She’s actually a calm person with a lot of anger that’s bottled up.”  Bel commented.

“Don’t forget her special power.”  Lussuria chimed in.

“Does she have a flame?”  Nono asked.  They shook their heads.  It was an agreement they wouldn’t tell anyone about Shiori’s flame.  It wasn’t relevant for Nono to know.

“She’s able to calm the boss down.”  All but Xanxus said.

This took Nono for a surprise.  No one can do that.  “Really?  How so?” 

“He didn’t glare at her or yell at us until she left.”  Bel said without fear.

“You should see the pictures.”  Lussuria said.

“Trash.”  Xanxus threatened, but Nono was too interested in this mystery girl.  Bel showed Nono the pictures. 

“That’s Shiori?” 

“Isn’t she adorable?  I wish she was here with us.”  Lussuria said, day dreaming about the what ifs.  Nono stared at the girl in question.  She seemed normal and yet, she could make Xanxus look so relaxed. 

“You should invite her for a party.”  Nono commented, looking at his son.

“That’s a wonderful idea!”  Lussuria said with a single clap.

“VOI!  She’d get hurt at one of the parties.”  Squalo brought everyone back to reality.

“That’s true.  People would be after her because she’s with us.”  Levi commented.  Nono couldn’t believe his ears.  Was the Varia, a group of assassins, worried about a single girl’s life? 

“Oh, be quiet.  She has her lucky charm.”  Lussuria reminded Squalo about the feather.

“That’s right, but it could put an even worse target on her back.”  Squalo replied back. 

“What lucky charm?”  Nono asked them. 

“I gave her one of boss’ earrings to wear.  I said it would protect her.”  Lussuria said, still able to remember Shiori’s shocked face.  It was adorable.

“And you’re still alive?”  Nono asked with surprise.

“He didn’t mind, right, boss?”  He made a noise.  “See?  If it’s Shiori, the boss won’t mind.”  Nono smiled widely. 

“I’m sure if she came for a party, you’d all protect her.”  Nono said with confidence.

“I’m sure she can take care of herself.”  Levi said. 

“That’s true, but we’re men and the Varia.  She’s just a regular girl.”  The Varia went quiet after Squalo spoke, wondering what to do. 

“Maybe not a party, but she’s more than welcome to stay here where you don’t have to worry about protecting her.”  Nono got a nasty glare from his son.  My, this was not the reaction that was expected.  “Or she can stay at the Varia headquarters where she’ll be just as safe with all of you.”  The glare went away. 

“Let’s go.  I’m tired.”  Xanxus stood and left with the Varia. 

Nono’s storm guardian walked in.  “You’re smiling.” 

“I’m just happy.” 

“Happy because the Varia took out their target?”  The storm guardian asked with confusion.

Nono shook his head.  “I’m happy my son found someone that doesn’t make him angry.” 

“I don’t believe it.”  Bel had emailed Nono the pictures behind Xanxus’ back.  Nono opened them up and kept staring.  “Who is that girl?” 

“Her name is Shiori.  I’d like to meet her.” 

“Just because she calms Xanxus down?” 

“She just doesn’t do that to my son.  She was able to turn the Varia into concerned people.  They don’t want to see her hurt.”

When I got home, I got an earful from both my parents.  I was out too late and went to another city without them knowing.  I told them they could have called me, but they shook their heads with disappointment.  And that’s when they saw the earring.  They were madder about that than me possibly being kidnapped.  That was my parents in a nutshell.  They cared about me, but they didn’t seem to see the bigger problem.  I went to my room after a deserved shower and laid on my bed.  I felt empty. 

“Friends, huh.”  I muttered with a smile.  A warm feeling exploded in my chest.

I couldn’t believe it.  They considered me a friend.  That means I don’t just have one, but five friends.  I took my journal and wrote all about it.  It’s the happiest I’ve been in a long time.  The last time I’ve felt like this was my last day in Italy.  “I have a flame like no other burning deep inside.  All I need to do is let it burn.”  I repeated those words softly.  It gave me the strength I needed on bad days.  Despite almost being stabbed, I had fun.  Those people didn’t mind me being with them and actually showed interest in me.  I wasn’t used to it.  I’m sure I’ll be ignored tomorrow.  I’m sure. 

When tomorrow came, I took the earring out and put it on a chain to keep around my neck.  Even though Lussuria took it off Xanxus without asking, it still meant a lot to me.  At school, I was ignored like usual.  It didn’t bother me.  A couple days later, I was dragged back to reality of how much I disliked this town. 

“Yamamoto’s going to jump off the roof!”  A student yelled with fear.

My blood froze, my heart dropped.  I didn’t want to look.  I didn’t run to help him like everyone else.  I stayed in my seat, afraid.  My hands started shaking and sweating.  I grasped the feather in hopes it’d help calm me down, but to no avail, it didn’t help.  My heart kept pounding.  It’s just last time.  I grasped my head and brought my knees to my chest.  I was having a hard time breathing.  That’s when I saw a shadow.  My eyes widened.  I could distinctly see two bodies falling.  It was too much for me to handle.  I fell onto the floor. 

When everyone got into class, they all screamed.  Shiori was passed out on the floor.  Everyone just crowded around her.  Kyoko crouched down and shook Shiori.  “Shiori?”  There was no answer. 

“Someone get the nurse!”  A group of students ran out of the hall.  Soon, Shamal ran into the room. 

“Give me room.”  Shamal looked at the girl and checked her pulse.  Good.  She was just passed out.  He picked her up and brought her to the nurse’s office to rest.  Some students came along to make sure she was alright.  Kyoko stared at Shiori. 

“Will she be alright?”  She asked.

“Don’t worry.  She’ll be just fine.”  Shamal responded.

Once the students all left, Shamal took out Shiori’s records.  She seemed completely healthy with no traumas or illnesses.  Reborn showed himself. 

“You have a visitor?”  He questioned Shamal.  His gaze was on Shiori.

“The students found her passed out in the classroom.”  Reborn looked at the sleeping girl.  “What is it?”  Shamal asked. 

“I’m just thinking.” 

“Are you going to drag her into things?” 

“I have no reason to.”  The door opened.  Tsuna and Yamamoto walked in. 

“Did you have anything to do with this, Reborn?”  Tsuna questioned.

“With what?” 

“With her.”  Tsuna pointed to Shiori. 

“No.”  The two boys stared at the girl.  They knew she was the new student, but she blended in so well with everyone they hardly took notice of her existence. 

“Do you know her, Tsuna?”  Reborn asked.

“I think she’s the new girl.” 

“We got a new student?”  Yamamoto was as oblivious as always. 

“We did.”  Yamamoto hummed and got closer to her. 

“She looks stressed out.” 

“That’s why she passed out.”  Shamal commented from his desk. 

“I wonder why.  It might be from that really big test coming up.”  Tsuna nodded at Yamamoto’s reasoning.

Reborn didn’t think that was the reason why she’s stressed.  He looked into her academics and saw all perfect scores amongst going to some of the country’s best schools.  That girl was a genius.  No genius stresses over a test. 

“Reborn?”  Tsuna questioned.

“She doesn’t stress over tests.”  Reborn stated.

“How do you know?”  Tsuna asked. 

“She’s a genius.” 

“What?!”  Tsuna yelled with surprise.

“Be quiet.  She’s resting.  Yes, she’s a genius.  She hasn’t gotten anything but a perfect score in her life.” 

“That’s amazing.”  Yamamoto said.

“Did you look into her records?”  Tsuna asked.

“I did.”  They heard a groan and looked at Shiori. 

“Could you all leave?  It’d be best to not have her question anything when she wakes up.”  Once the three left, Shamal sighed.  They were loud.  Shiori didn’t make another noise.

When I came to, I noticed the sun starting to set from the orange and red colored walls.  I sat up and saw I was in the nurse’s office. 

“It’s about time you woke up.”  I jumped and saw the nurse. 

“What time is it?” 

“Well, school ended three hours ago.”  It did?  My parents must be worried.  At least, I hope they’d be worried.  I quickly stood up and bowed. 

“I’m sorry for keeping you here so late.” 

“Don’t apologize.  I usually leave by this time anyway.  Do you need me to help you walk home?” 

“No but thank you for the offer.”  I left and went into the classroom.  No one was here.  I got my bag and stood at my desk for a little bit.  Did they die?  I went back to the nurse’s office. 

“Yes?” 

“Do you know what happened earlier?”  I questioned quietly.

“About Yamamoto?”  I nodded. 

“He’s still alive.  Firefighters were able to get a large cushion to catch him.” 

“That’s good.”  I bowed and left.  He was still alive.  I went to the convenience store and got myself my favorite tea and a snack.  When I got home, no one was there.  I saw a note on the table.  “Won’t be home.  Had to work overtime.  Love mom.  Had a business trip.  Love dad.  They don’t need to write notes.  They could have messaged me.”  My bag dropped to the floor.  I was more than exhausted. 


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the week went as normal as it could get for Namimori.  Today, the teacher gave us a big test.  “If anyone can get a perfect score, you will be allowed to miss classes for three weeks.”  Everyone was excited.  I wonder how he got permission from school officials to do this.  It was weird to be able to miss three weeks of classes over one test.  The test must be extremely difficult and specifically made for everyone to fail.  Most definitely, we’ll be correcting each question and explaining how to solve it.  We got the test.  I heard most groan from disappointment.  I saw this exam before.  It was the one I had to pass to get into a cram school.  The questions were exactly the same and in the same spot.  I stood up in ten minutes and handed in my test.  Everyone just stared at me. 

“Would you like me to grade it?”  The teacher asked me.  I nodded.  I noticed how everyone kept watching.  The teacher dropped the test in disbelief. 

“Yes?”  I questioned.

“I-It’s…a perfect score.  Congratulations.”  My classmates audibly gasped with shock.  I went back to my desk and collected my things before leaving.  I was given a note before I left to show to any prefect who stopped me.  I just so happened to be stopped by Hibari Kyoya. 

“Get to class.”  He spoke without emotion.

“Here.”  He took the note and read it. 

“Wao.  You passed that test.” 

“It was taken directly from the top cram school in the country’s entrance exam.  I just so happened to have studied there.”  He handed the paper back to me. 

“You’re free to go.”  I gave a small bow and left.  I was met with two notes from my parents when I got home.  They’d both be gone for a while.  That meant I’d be alone too.

Everyone in the class all failed their test with flying colors.  The highest score on the test was a thirteen.  How the hell did Shiori get a perfect score?  It even surprised Hibari.  He took the test out of curiosity and failed it with a score slightly higher.  This was what his uncle meant when he said she was a genius.  Reborn couldn’t help but smile when it took Shiori ten minutes to complete the test.  It did help she went to that cram school and took the test previously.  For the rest of the day, they all had to correct their answers.  Even by working together, they were all struggling. 

“If Shiori could pass that test, why is she here at our school?”  Someone whispered. 

“Who knows.  She probably cheated.  It didn’t take her long.”  The guy that sat in front of her stood up and walked over to the two who were gossiping.  “What do you want?”  One of them asked.

“Just because you losers failed doesn’t mean you can say bad things about Shiori.” 

“She probably cheated.  No one else did well.”  

Shiori’s neighbor scoffed and shook his head.  “You know, I learned something by talking to her a little bit.  She’s actually a genius unlike everyone in this damn school.”  That shut everyone up.  No one would even say a word about Shiori for the rest of the day.  They just quietly worked on their tests.

A week has passed.  My parents haven’t come back yet.  To get rid of this boredom, I went for a walk.  Maybe something will happen.  It is Namimori after all.  A few minutes later, I heard a loud commotion.  There were a lot of suited men who looked foreign.  They were all speaking Italian.  A blond haired man with regular clothing was in the middle of the crowd. 

“What the hell?”  I muttered to myself.  Unfortunately, they heard me.  They all turned towards me. 

“Who the hell is this small girl?”  Someone sneered.  “Shouldn’t she be in school?”  “She might have dropped out.”  I clicked my tongue.  They were insulting me in Italian.  “Do you think she can understand us?”  “I doubt it.”  The blond guy came out from the crowd and stared at me. 

“She’s cute.”  He said with a dumb smile.

“Don’t do it boss.  She might be a dangerous person.”  That was the final straw. 

“Would you kindly stop insulting me?”  I spoke in Italian which made them all freeze.  “Just because I’m Japanese doesn’t mean I don’t know anything else.”  The boss walked to me. 

“I’m sorry about my men.”  He said.

“You don’t have to apologize for their actions.  It’s their fault.”  The guy looked at his men.  “Apologize.”  “We’re sorry.”  Why did I imagine them all preschoolers and their boss as their teacher?

“Could you help us?  We’re lost.”  He said.

“Sure.”  I was handed the address.  “You’re in the opposite side of town.”  What was it with Italians not knowing where they’re going?

“We are?  Could you help us go where we need to be?”  I nodded.  “What’s your name?  I’m Dino.” 

“Shiori.” 

“That name seems familiar.  I think I heard someone say that before.”  Dino mused.

“You’re thinking of Squalo, sir.”  One of Dino’s men said.  Squalo?  Dino knew him? 

“That’s right!  Hey, Shiori, do you know Squalo?” 

“I’m sorry.  It doesn’t ring a bell.” 

“It must be someone else then.  It was in Kyoto.”  I don’t know why I didn’t say I knew him.  The vibe I got from Squalo and the rest was very secretive.  Plus, no one needed to know I knew Squalo.  “So, Shiori, how do you know Italian?”  Dino asked.

“I studied in Italy two years ago in northern Italy.” 

“Really?  How did you like it?” 

“It was really nice.  I wouldn’t mind going for a longer stay.”  Dino and I kept talking as if we knew each other for years.  It was refreshing.  I stopped in front of a house.  “Well, this is the place.” 

“Thank you, Shiori.  You’ve been a big help.  If there’s anything you need help with, don’t hesitate to ask me.”  Dino said genuinely.

“I won’t.”  I gave a small bow before leaving the large group.  It was strange.  I’d thought Squalo would have more scary friends than Dino.  It was nice they talked about me.  I guess they really meant what they said. 

Another day had passed.  I decided to go visit my grandparent’s in Osaka.  By train it’d be a couple of hours away, but since I have another two weeks left off, I was in the clear.  I had given my grandparents a call in advance.  Unfortunately, they were on vacation in England but they still didn’t mind me staying in their house.  When I arrived, I went right to their house.  It was a large traditional Japanese house with a large garden in the back.  It used to be my favorite place in the world to be when I was a kid.  I’d climb up the tree and watch the clouds.  I walked right in and put my stuff in the guest room.  I looked in the closet and saw extravagant, modern kimonos.  My grandparents were always prepared no matter what.  I changed into a red kimono and sat in the backyard with a cup of hot tea.  It was perfect.  That was until my stomach roared. 

“I didn’t realize how hungry I really was.” 

I checked the cupboards and the fridge and saw things I’d have to spend a while making in order to eat.  I put on sandals and walked out.  I caught the attention of a few people, but it wasn’t bad attention.  They were mostly staring at the kimono.  I entered a small grocery store and looked through the various isles. 

I noticed there was a group following me silently.  It was strange.  I could hardly sense them unlike everyone else.  I ignored them for now and put a few things in my basket.  At least I’d have nice meals for the time I was here.  My grandparents already told me to eat all the food they had.  It’d go to waste if I didn’t.  Grandma’s food is some of the best.  After getting a few things, I went to the cash register.  He scanned all the items and bagged them. 

“Have a good day.”  The man said.

“I need to pay for them.” 

“Someone already paid for them in advance.”  I tilted my head from confusion but went with the flow.  Oh well.  If someone wanted to pay for my food, I wouldn’t mind.  Though, if it had to do with the Hibari, I’m not sure how I’d act.  I took my bags and left.  The air was getting a chillier.  “I should have worn something warmer.”  Giving a small sigh, I started to walk home.  However, my feet stopped when I saw a bakery.  My cheeks turned warm. 

“One piece won’t hurt.”  I walked in and was captivated by all the different cakes.  There were so many colors and flavors.  It was hard to decide. 

“Do you need help picking one?”  The woman from behind the counter asked. 

“They all look delicious.” 

“Well, we are entering fall.  So, I think the orange cake would be just right.” 

“I’ll take one.”  She packed it up in a cute box.  I paid and left.  I couldn’t wait until I got home to eat everything.  I’ll make hotpot for dinner.  That’ll warm me up. 

The bags were starting to get a little too heavy for my arms considering how long I’ve been holding them.  Someone took all of my groceries from my hands.  I looked at who was next to me and gasped. 

“Xanxus?”  He nodded, staying as silent as usual.  “What are you doing here?  Is everyone here with you?” 

Before he could reply, a voice called out to Xanxus.  “This is where you went to.”  I looked and saw an elderly man with a few others behind him. 

“I told you to stay back, old man.”  This must be Xanxus’ father. 

“I got worried.”  The man saw me and his smile brightened even more.  “Who is this?” 

I gave a small bow.  “I’m Shiori.” 

“Ah!  You’re the one everyone has been talking about.”  They talked about me?  I looked up at Xanxus and saw his annoyed expression.  It must be true.  He started to nudge me. 

“Let’s go.” 

“We can’t leave your father and his friends.” 

“They’re fine.”  I stopped and gave the best pout I could come up with.  Xanxus blinked a few times before looking at his dad.  No one could say ‘no’ to my pouts.

“Don’t say anything unnecessary.”  Xanxus fell victim to my pout.

“Wonderful!”  Even as we walked, Xanxus’ father kept a small distance between us. 

“Why are you here anyway?”  I asked Xanxus.

“Visiting.” 

“I’m guessing it’s just you.”  He nodded.  “How is everyone?” 

“They’re the same, too damn loud.”  I smiled brightly.  I guess that’s one thing that’ll never change.

When we got to my grandparent’s house, they were all surprised.  “What?”  I asked them.

“Do you live here?”  Xanxus’ father asked. 

“This is my grandparents’ house.  They’re currently in England and they’re letting me stay here for two weeks.”   I entered and took my shoes off.  Everyone did as I did and followed me.  “Make yourself at home.  Please don’t destroy anything.  I don’t know how to fix it.” 

“We’ll be careful, dear.”  Xanxus followed me into the kitchen and placed the groceries onto the table. 

“Thank you, Xanxus.  Would you like to stay for dinner?”  I asked.

“What are you making?” 

“Hotpot.”  He gave me a weird expression.  “It’s a big pot of soup where you put vegetables and meat in and eat it together.  You can put noodles and rice in it too.” 

“I’ll stay.”  All I have to mention is meat and he’d stay.  I’m sure the rest are the exact same.

“Your father and his friends are more than welcome to stay.”  He grunted.  “If you don’t ask them, I will not use the good meat.”  He froze for a second, surprised at the threat.  “Don’t look so surprised.  I remember how you and everyone ate so much of the expensive meat.  It was as if you were all animals.  Now, go.”  He went into the living room.  I chuckled knowing I won.  Xanxus walked back in. 

“They’re staying.” 

“I’ll have to make a lot.  Do you mind helping me?” 

Nono was a little suspicious of Xanxus when he suddenly separated from the group.  Knowing him, he could be up to trouble.  Instead, he was following a girl around town.  The group watched with fascination.  They even gasped when Xanxus paid for groceries.  Once he realized Nono was following, he walked over. 

“Why did you follow me?”  Xanxus questioned.

“Is that Shiori?”  The silence confirmed it.  “Why don’t you go talk to her?  She is your friend after all.”  Xanxus grumbled and walked away. 

“So, this is the legendary Shiori I’ve been hearing about.  I thought she was a rumor.”  Nono’s rain guardian said. 

“She’s rather plain looking, but her dress is beautiful.”  The storm guardian spoke quietly.  They followed them outside where Xanxus kept following Shiori.  The guardians were baffled at how Xanxus was acting.  He never acted like this with anyone.  They saw how Xanxus took the bags way from Shiori.  She turned and brightened up. 

“She’s actually happy to see him…”  Nono looked at his son and saw how at peace he was. 

“This is where you went to.”  Nono said, walking over.  He knew he had to meet her.  This would be his only chance.  Once Shiori turned, they could see the feather accessory hanging off her ear.  When Xanxus nudged her to leave, she wouldn’t allow it and gave a pout of a life time. 

“Don’t say anything unnecessary.”  Xanxus muttered quietly enough for them to hear.

At Shiori’s home, the seven were sitting in the traditional style living room.  “It’s peaceful here.”  Nono’s cloud guardian said. 

“It certainly is.”  Nono replied.  Xanxus walked in the room. 

“What is it?”  Nono asked. 

“Are you staying for dinner?”  Nono looked at his guardians.  They shrugged their shoulders. 

“We’ll stay.”  Xanxus sighed and walked back to the kitchen. 

“I want to know who the hell this girl is.  She’s turning him human.”  The sun guardian whispered. 

“I’m sure we’ll learn over dinner.  Plus, it isn’t just Xanxus.  It’s the entire Varia.”  Nono could hear the two talking in the kitchen.  Xanxus was helping with dinner.  This situation was strangely homely.  Even as a kid, Xanxus would always be the one demanding things to be done.  He never had patience for anyone.  Yet, Shiori was the only exception.  Lussuria was right.  He’d probably do anything for her.  The door opened abruptly. 

“VOI!”  A bottle was thrown at Squalo.  Xanxus walked out, pissed off at the intrusion.  “What the hell crawled up your ass and died!”  Squalo yelled at Xanxus.

“Squalo!”  Shiori said excitedly.  She was standing next to Xanxus. 

“Shiori?”  Squalo brightened up and ran to her.  “Shiori!  How’ve you been?”  He slapped her back a few times. 

“I was better before you slapped my back.”  He just laughed her off.  “Would you like to stay for dinner?”  She asked.

“Of course!” 

My heart couldn’t stop beating this happily.  I felt at peace.  The only time I felt like this was when I was with Xanxus and the others.  Seeing Squalo and knowing he’s talked about me to others even made me feel better.  I felt wanted.  It was something I haven’t felt in a long time.

“What are you making?”  Squalo asked.

“We’re making hotpot.  Can you help cut the meat as thinly as possible?  I’m sure Genzo taught the world’s greatest swordsman something.” 

“Leave it to me!”  Squalo ran right into the kitchen and went to work.  Xanxus grunted. 

“He’s quiet and being productive.  It means we can eat sooner.”  That seemed to have made Xanxus not as grumpy.  His father smiled. 

“You seem to be able to control my son quite well.”  Nono said to Shiori.

“VOI!  Stop getting in the way!”  “Trash!”  The two started to fight.  It hasn’t even been a minute.  My eye twitched. 

“Do you want us to deal with them?”  One of Timoteo’s friends asked.

“You’re my guests.  I can deal with them.”  I walked back in and got vegetables out.  I put them next to a wooden cutting board.  I took out a large butcher’s knife and slammed the knife down on a carrot.  The two stopped and looked at me.  A big smile was on my face.  I cut another carrot. 

“Shiori?”  The two questioned.

“Yes?”  Another chop.

“Are you okay?”  Squalo asked.  I cut another vegetable.  “Why?  Do I not look well?” 

“You look…scary.”  Another chop. 

“Scary?  I’m just making dinner.  You two on the other hand seem to have a lot of time on your hands to keep fighting.”  I said in a dangerously happy tone.

The two gulped and refused to make eye contact.  “We won’t fight.” 

“No fighting, no yelling, and no insults.  Got it?”  They nodded.  “Good.  I’m the only one in this damn house that will be yelling and insulting people.  Get your asses back to work!”  They quietly went back to doing what they were supposed to.  I stopped my prep and got a large burner.  I put it on the table in the living room. 

“Shiori?”  Timoteo questioned.

“Yes?” 

“Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine now that they stopped fighting.  There’s nothing more I love than silence and hard work.”  I went back into the kitchen and tasted the broth.  It was perfect.  “Xanxus, can you put this on the burner in the kitchen?”  He took the pot away.  Squalo was putting the meat on the plate.  I put vegetables on plates and put rice in the rice cooker.  “Squalo, can you start bringing everything out?”  He nodded and took plates of food out.  Xanxus took out small bowls and utensils out next.  I got out some noodles out and kept them in the kitchen for later in the meal.  I walked out with cups and saw everyone in awe at the food.  “This looks amazing.” 

I set the cups down and started to put certain ingredients in the pot.  “How do we eat?  Can we eat now?”  Squalo asked. 

“Wait five more minutes and then you can watch me to see how it’s done.” 

After a couple of minutes, I took a piece of meat and swished it in the broth before transferring it to my bowl.  I ate it and saw how they were all staring. 

“So, you cook the meat in the broth and eat it?”  I nodded. 

“You can also add whatever you want to the broth.  The more you add, the tastier it’ll become.”  Soon, everyone was joining in.  They were all enjoying their meals.  When all the ingredients were gone and there was still broth in the pot, I brought out noodles and rice. 

“There’s more?”  They all questioned. 

“It’s the best part of the meal.”  I put the noodles in. 

“I don’t think I can eat any more.”  One of the men groaned.

“More for me.”  I said happily.  When the noodles were done, Squalo and I were the only ones still eating.  There was still a little bit of broth and cooked down vegetables left.  I refused to waste anything.  I put a bowl of rice in. 

“More?!”  I nodded and stirred everything together.  Most took a bite to try and gave a sigh from how good it was.  Xanxus kept looking at the rice.  “Do you want some?”  I offered him some, but he refused to try it.  I took my spoon filled with rice and put it towards Xanxus.  He ignored me. 

“Try it.” 

“I’m full.”  Xanxus said as an excuse.  He just didn’t like his vegetables.

“All you ate was meat.  At least try it.”  Nono watched the two interacting with each other.  Xanxus glared at her.  It put everyone on edge, but Shiori was indifferent.  She scoffed. 

“Try.  It.”  Shiori said with a hidden threat.

Once he opened his mouth, the spoon went right in.  Xanxus pinched Shiori’s nose as punishment.  She held her nose from pain.  If it was anyone else, they’d experience death.  Nono’s heart warmed at the scene.  “Ouch!”  Shiori yelped.  He didn’t use much force. 

“Don’t stuff things into my mouth.”  Xanxus replied.

“You’re not complaining about the rice though.”  He took the spoon away from her and ate the rest of the rice.  Shiori looked disappointed there was nothing else to eat.  She has a big stomach despite her petite figure.  Nono’s storm guardian received a message.  A rival family has decided to hold the meeting now. 

“Thank you for everything, Shiori, but it appears we need to go.”  Nono said.  She turned around. 

“That’s a shame.  I’m glad you all enjoyed the meal.”  Xanxus looked at Nono. 

“You two can stay here and visit with Shiori more.  You know where we’ll be.” 

“Are you sure?”  Squalo asked. 

“I’m sure.”  Xanxus and Squalo looked at each other.  They were confused.  The family they’re meeting is highly dangerous and are probably up to something.  They’d probably attack them.

The room was tense.  I looked between Xanxus and his father.  Something must be wrong.  “I’ll be fine alone.  You can leave if it’s important.”  They all looked at me.  Xanxus stood up and looked at Squalo. 

“Stay.”  Why is he making Squalo stay?  When they left, I looked at Squalo. 

“You don’t need to stay, Squalo.” 

“Do you not want me here?”  He asked.

“If you have business elsewhere, you can go with them.  I wasn’t expecting any visitors while I was here anyway.” 

“If Xanxus wants me here, I’ll stay here.” 

“If you say so.”  I stood up and took care of the dishes.  Just as I finished, I froze in my spot.  There was a sinking feeling in my stomach.  It made me dizzy.  I wanted to puke.  I crouched down while at the sink and held my stomach.  My head was pounding.  My hands were shaking.  A wave of pain washed over me.  Something was wrong with Xanxus and I didn’t like it.  I turned the water off and walked to where Squalo was. 

“What’s the matter?  You’re pale.”  He said with worry.

“Something is wrong.” 

“Did you eat too much?”  Squalo jokingly asked.

I shook my head.  “Something is wrong with Xanxus.  I…I have a bad feeling.  My whole body is on fire.  I think I’m having an anxiety attack.”  Squalo got to his feet and ran to me.  He put a hand on my head. 

“You’re burning up.”  He said with shock.

“There’s something wrong with him, Squalo.  You need to check on him.”  I pleaded.

“I can’t just leave you like this.”  I shook my head weakly. 

“We’re friends, right?  You need to trust me.  I’ll be just fine.” 

“What if you pass out and get hurt?”  I gave him a weak smile.  “You better make things quick.” 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Squalo picked Shiori up and placed her in a bed before leaving.  Squalo needed to be discrete.  He really hoped everything was fine.  It was Xanxus after all.  He’s one of the most powerful men alive.  Though, Shiori’s weak state terrified him.  That’s when he saw the destruction.  The streets were a mess and charred probably due to Xanxus’ flame. 

“Squalo!”  Nono’s storm guardian ran to him. 

“What the hell is going on?”  Squalo asked.

“Things went even worse than what we thought.  Nono is being kept hostage and Xanxus is still fighting.” 

“How injured is he?” 

“He has a few scratches and a major wound.” 

“Dammit!”  Shiori was right.  Xanxus was in trouble.  “Shitty boss worrying Shiori like that.  I’ll fucking kill him.”  Squalo ran everywhere until he found Xanxus.  He was thrown to the ground. 

“Do you think you could really scare me?”  The enemy questioned smugly. 

“VOI!”  Nono saw Squalo and was surprised.  Shouldn’t he be with Shiori?  Xanxus got onto his knees and looked back. 

“What the hell are you doing here?”  Xanxus asked.

“I’m going to fucking kill you, shitty boss!”  Squalo was too angry.

“It looks like your subordinate is turning his back on you.”  The enemy spoke.

Squalo ran up and slashed the guy’s chest right open.  “You’re the cause of this whole mess!” 

“Trash.”  Squalo looked at Xanxus.

“We’ll talk later.”  Squalo said.

Xanxus stood up.  “Well, old man.  Do you want me to finish him off?”  “Yes.”

After the family was dealt with, Squalo tended to Xanxus’ wounds.  He had scratches which was to be expected.  There was one major wound on Xanxus’ abdomen that caught Squalo’s attention.  Shiori was grasping her stomach earlier.  Nono walked over to them.  “Is Shiori safe?” 

“She should be in bed resting.  That idiot got too worried and got herself sick.” 

“What was she worried about?”  Nono questioned.

“This shit trash.”  Xanxus growled at Squalo. 

After being patched up, the three went to Shiori to check up on her.  Nono’s guardians stayed behind to deal with the mess.  The entire house was quiet.  They went to her room and saw her missing. 

“Where did she go?”  They looked everywhere and couldn’t find her.  A small yawn was heard.  Xanxus opened the door to the backyard and saw Shiori sitting with her finished cake and a cup of tea. 

“VOI!  You should be resting!”  Shiori let out a small shriek. 

“I-I’m sorry, Squalo!  I thought cake and tea would help.” 

“You’re sick!” 

“Not anymore.  I suddenly got all better.”  That’s when she saw Xanxus.  “Are you hurt?”  She asked.

“I’ll be fine.”  He responded.

“You were hurt though.”  Shiori said as if she knew what happened.  Nono looked between the two. 

“Go get some rest.  You’ll catch a cold like this.”  Xanxus said softly.  She stood up with her dishes. 

“I’m glad you made it out alive.”  Xanxus kept his eye on Shiori.  After she put her dishes in the sink, she collapsed. 

Xanxus picked her up and went into a room and placed her in bed.  She was breathing heavily.  Was she still having effects from over using her flame?  Nono got closer to her and could feel how unbalanced she was. 

“Did something happen to her when you met her.”  Nono asked the two men.

“She was attacked by a flame user and has been like this ever since.”  Xanxus responded before Squalo could.  Xanxus didn’t want Nono knowing about her flame.

“Her body probably can’t handle the overwhelming nature of flames.  I’ll help her.”  Nono’s finger lit with a flame. 

“Don’t touch her.”  Xanxus demanded. 

“I can help her.  Do you want her to suffer?”  Nono questioned.

With a wince, a calm, gentle flame appeared on Xanxus’ finger.  This shocked the two.  Once the flame touched Shiori’s forehead, she instantly relaxed and smiled. 

“Xanxus…”  Nono said with shock.

“What?  Are you going to punish me for this too?” 

Nono shook his head.  “I never knew you could produce a flame like that.” 

“Leave it be.” 

Nono smiled as the two left the room.  He looked to Shiori.  “Thank you, Shiori.  You’ve done something no one else could do.  You changed him for the better even if it’s only you he treats like this.”  He placed a flame on her forehead as thanks.  Even though Xanxus tried his best, it was only temporary.  He probably did this before which is why Shiori passed out.  Nono took one more look before leaving the room.  The two men were quietly fighting with each other.

“Will you two be quiet?  Shiori is trying to rest and won’t if you two are fighting.”  Nono warned them quietly.

“See?  I told you.”  Squalo said. 

These two were children at times.  To make things worse, when Shiori was involved, they got worse.  It made sense why Shiori could sense Xanxus was in trouble.  His flame still lingered in her body and when he was in trouble, the last of it disappeared which resulted in what happened. 

“Are you two staying here tonight?”  The two grunted.  It shouldn’t have been a surprise.  “I’ll leave for the night.  I’ll be back tomorrow morning to check on her.  Please try to stay quiet for Shiori’s sake.”  Nono left and met his guardians at the hotel. 

“Did you see Shiori?”  The storm guardian asked.

“I did.  She’s sleeping.  Poor thing was worried sick.” 

“What’s with that smile?”  The storm guardian questioned his boss.

“You all saw how the three interact with each other.”  They all nodded. 

“It’s strange to see him not aggressive towards someone.”  Another guardian said.

Nono shook his head, thinking about the flame.  “He’s only cautious with Shiori and Shiori alone.” 

“Why do you think that?”  The rain guardian asked.

“I don’t know and I don’t care.  He’s capable of being kind when he wants.”  Nono said with a warm smile.

“Kind?  Maybe, but his flame is monstrous.”  The storm guardian spat.

Nono walked toward his room.  “The flame he showed me was different.  It was so gentle it wouldn’t have burned anything, not even a piece of paper.” 

“That’s impossible.” The same guardian said.  Nono went into his room without saying anything.  That gentle flame proved the lengths he’d go to protect Shiori. 

When I woke up, I could smell something cooking.  It was foreign yet familiar at the same time.  I know I’ve smelt this before, but I can’t tell what it is.  I got up and dressed into my regular clothes that were more suitable for the fall season.  Yesterday was almost like a blur, but everything felt better.  In the kitchen, I saw Squalo cooking. 

“Squalo?” 

He turned and smiled.  “Good morning, Shiori.  Are you feeling better?” 

“I’m feeling a lot better.  Thank you.  Is it just you here?” 

“Xanxus is here still sleeping.  I’m pretty sure his father and friends are coming to check on you.”  He said and went back to cooking.

“They don’t need to do that.  I’m perfectly fine.” 

“That’s true, but you did feed us an amazing dinner last night.  I’ll call you when breakfast is done.” 

“Alright.  Thank you again, Squalo.” 

“Shut up and get out so I can concentrate.” 

I quietly laughed and went into the living room to chill for a while.  I thought about what had happened.  Xanxus was hurt last night.  No.  He was all scratched up from what I could see.  What kind of business meeting had violence involved?  Well, they were Italian.  I shook my head.  They couldn’t be mafia.  Could they?  It’d explain the tough exterior, but I didn’t want to believe it.  Part of me knew it was a possibility, that it was the most probable answer, but I decided to play stupid and not think too much about it.  Ignorance is bliss after all.

There was a knock before the door opened.  Xanxus’ father and his friends were all here.  I looked up from the couch. 

“Ah, Shiori, you’re looking much better.”  Xanxus’ father said happily.

“I feel a lot better too.  My head hasn’t felt this clear in a long time.  I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.” 

“That’s good to hear.  Where’s Xanxus?” 

“He’s sleeping.” 

“Do you mind if I go wake up him?” 

“Go for it.”  He walked into another room while the others just stood around, looking everywhere.  They were a little awkward.  A few minutes later, the two walked out. 

“Trash.”  I looked up at Xanxus. 

“Not you.”  Xanxus said.

“Oh.”  I said quietly.

Squalo walked to us.  “What is it?” 

“We need to leave.”  Xanxus spoke with a slight slur from tiredness.

“We can’t just leave Shiori alone.” 

“We have no choice.”  Xanxus looked rather pissed off at something.

“Why?”  I kept looking between the two.  Xanxus looked down at me for a split second before looking away. 

“I won’t say it again.” 

Squalo looked at me.  “Breakfast is done and still hot.  Will you be fine without us for the rest of the time you’re here?” 

“I’ll be fine.  What about you two?  Is everything alright?”  They seemed taken aback by my question. 

“We’re strong.  Don’t worry about us.”  Squalo’s words said something totally different than his eyes.  They were full of worry.  I looked up at Xanxus.  His red eyes wouldn’t look into mine.  I looked at his father, then at the rest.  They were all avoiding eye contact.  “Okay.”

They were all leaving.  I grabbed Squalo’s wrist.  “Shiori?  What’s wrong?  Are you feeling sick again?”  It was just the two of us. 

“I don’t know what’s going on, but can you promise me something?” 

“It’ll depend what it is.” 

I looked into Squalo’s eyes and took a deep breath.  My grip on him tightened.  “Can you make sure Xanxus is alright?”  His eyes widened a little. 

“You have nothing to worry about, but I can promise you that.” 

“Thank you, Squalo.  Have a safe trip back home.”  He nodded before leaving with the rest. 

It was only when Xanxus walked into the car did I have a bad feeling.  I couldn’t think of anything that could have happened when his father went in the room.  My mind was blank.  I closed the door after I watched the car drive off.  A plate of food sat on the counter.  Squalo even did the dishes.  I took one bite and felt my eyes burn.  It was delicious, but it couldn’t help how worried I felt.  Is this what it was like having friends?  Did it make you feel weird things like this?  Oh well.  I finished the plate and gave a sigh.  “That was really good.  I wish there was more.”  I went into the living room and lay on the couch.  It was comfortable.  My eyes were slowly closing.  Maybe I’ll see everyone next time.  It’ll be nice. 

Soon, it was time for me to go to school again.  My parents were still gone.  It worried me, but I knew they’d be just fine.  In school, everyone seemed to just stare at me.  Did I do something?  I sat down and took out a book.  The guy in front of me turned around.

“How was your vacation?”  He was the only one in class that spoke to me. 

“It was nice.” 

“Did you study during the time you were gone?” 

“I went and visited my grandparents in Osaka.” 

“You don’t seem like one to like travel.”  He commented.

“It’s enjoyable.” 

The teacher came in and started our lessons.  Like usual, I didn’t have to pay attention.  I’ve noticed how it was starting to snow.  I looked across the room to the windows and felt alone.  I didn’t like how Xanxus and Squalo suddenly left like that.  I had to stop thinking about it.  They’re just people who happened to be closer to me than most people.  Thinking like that made things more depressing.  I was getting attached and I wasn’t sure if I liked that or not.  At lunch, I was alone as usual.  I usually liked being alone but being with everyone made me like being with people a lot more.  I ate my food slowly.  I had to stop half-way through.  Nothing would make my stomach feel better.

I needed to distract myself.  So, I looked at all the clubs the school had to offer on the bulletin board in the hall.  The list was surprisingly large considering how small the school was.  There was every sport and hobby on the list, but the only thing that looked interesting was archery.  Grandpa used to be good and would let me watch him practice.  They met every day but Friday after school.  That doesn’t seem too bad.  After school, I nervously walked to where the archery club met for practice.  A group of people looked at me. 

“Are you here for the archery club?”  Someone asked.

“Yes.” 

One girl walked up to me with a big smile.  “Welcome.  I’m Sachiko the president of the club.  What’s your name?” 

“Shiori.” 

“It’s nice to meet you.  What made you want to join?”  She questioned.

“I needed something to do after school and since my grandfather used to do archery, I figured I should give it a go.” 

“I’m sure you’ll do great.  Follow me.  I’ll find a uniform for you.”  I followed Sachiko to the backroom.  There were a lot of things in the cluttered room.  “Try this one on.  We have more sizes.”  I went into the locker room and changed.  It fit as well as it’d fit.  “So?” 

“It fits enough.” 

“There are more sizes available.”  She commented.

I walked out with a small smile.  “If I go bigger or smaller, it won’t fit my chest.” 

“Say no more.  Let’s go.  Everyone is probably already going at it.  I’ll mentor you until you feel like you got the hang of it.”  “Thank you.”

Walking out, Sachiko brought me to the end of the line to an empty spot.  “Do you know how to string the bow?” 

“I do.  It was the only thing grandpa allowed me to do.”  I took the bow and quickly attached the string to it.  

“You did that quicker than some of us.”  Sachiko said impressed.

“I’ve had years of experience.” 

“Do you know how to shoot?”  I shook my head.  “I’ll show you.” 

Sachiko took her own bow and put the arrow on the string itself.  She then got into position.  I noticed how her breathing was steady.  She held her breath and then released it after she shot.  The arrow went right into the middle. 

“Do you want to try?”  I nodded and took an arrow.  I got into position.  Sachiko went behind me and guided my hand.  “You’d hit the ground if you aimed like that.”  She let go and watched.  My breathing steadied but my heart wouldn’t stop beating.  I shot.  The arrow hit the edge of the target. 

“Not bad, newbie.”  Someone commented.  I wasn’t satisfied. 

“The more you practice, the more likely you’ll hit the middle.  Shoot a couple more times.”  Sachiko said.  I did and they went all over the place, but they still hit the target.  “You seem like a natural.” 

“How?”  I asked Sachiko. 

“When people first start, they usually don’t hit the target.” 

“And that makes me a natural?” 

“That’s right.  No one is perfect at a new thing when they start.  It never happens.”

At the end of the day, I went home.  My fingers were a little raw from shooting so many times.  Though, it was nice.  No wonder grandpa does it.  When I got home, my dad was the only one home. 

“I’m home.” 

“You’re home late.  Did something happen?”  Dad asked, worried I ran into trouble.

“I decided to join the archery club.” 

“You did?  I guess you do take after me.  How did you do?” 

“The president said I was a natural.  I hit the target every time, but none were perfect.  Some hardly made contact.” 

Dad smiled.  “Be proud of your work, Shiori.  You might not be satisfied, but it’s still results.  It took me a week before I could hit the target.” 

“Really?  Grandpa is super good.  I’m surprised you’re not like him.” 

Father clicked his tongue.  “That old man always had a thing for it.  He always said something about it being in our blood.” 

“Is mom working overtime tonight?”  I asked, opening the fridge. 

“I guess.  She hasn’t called to say so.” 

“Oh.”  That’s weird.  She usually called so we wouldn’t worry.  Dad walked into the kitchen.  “Hungry?”  I made a noise.  “How about we go out for dinner?  We haven’t done that in a long time.”  “What about mom?” 

“She’ll be fine.”  How come I can’t trust those words?  “Hey, dad?”  “What?”  “Is there something going on between you and mom?” 

“Why do you think that?”  He seemed surprised by my question.

“It’s a lot more tense in the house, almost as if it’s hard to breathe.  Plus, both of you are gone for weird periods of times.  You even leave different notes for me.” 

“We’re…just having some troubles, but it shouldn’t concern you.  C’mon.”  I followed dad to the car.  We got in.  I still felt weird.  “So, where to now?”  He asked me.

“You’re the one that decided to go out.” 

“I was hoping you’d have something in mind.” 

I sighed heavily.  “How about ramen?”  I suggested.

“That sounds good.”  Dad replied and started driving. 

Sometimes, well most of the time, dad was a free spirit.  He was the type that went with the flow but wouldn’t be walked all over.  He loved going on adventures without destinations.  When we got there, the sun was setting.  We went inside and sat at a table.  We ordered our favorite flavors.  For me, miso.  For dad, salt. 

“So, have you made any friends?”  Dad asked.

“Sort of.” 

“Are they from school?” 

“No.” 

“Oh?  Would they happen to be those people your grandparents told me about?” 

My face turned red.  “H-how do they know?!” 

“Their neighbors told them.  Some handsome men were following you.  Who are they?  Why do you know them?  Are they from those scum?”  Dad asked with narrowed eyes.

“T-they’re from Italy.  I met them in Kyoto.” 

“Oh.” 

“Are you fine with that?”  I asked nervously.

“You tell me.  What did your gut feeling say?” 

“They’re rough around the edges, but they’re different with me.  In fact, they’re sort of protective of me.  They’re the one that gave me the earring.”  I couldn’t help but smile.  Thinking of them made me feel safe.

Dad hummed with thought.  “And why did they give you the earring?” 

“I was attacked in Kyoto by those people.  They ended up saving me and gave me the earring as protection, a lucky charm of sorts.” 

“I see.  Hopefully, I’ll meet them one day.” 

“Huh?”  I tilted my head, confused.  “You always had a hard time becoming close with people.  Because of it, you never made friends.  I know you lied to your mom, but you didn’t want to worry her.  The fact you’re close with them makes me feel relieved you can trust someone other than us.” 

“Thanks, dad.”  Our ramen was put on our table.  “This looks amazing.”  I picked up my chopsticks and stared at the extra large bowl of ramen. 

“If you eat that whole thing, I’ll buy you dessert.”  It was something he’d tell me as a kid to make me eat all of my food.

“You already know I’ll eat the whole thing.” 

He chuckled.  “I know.” 

We quietly ate our food.  It was that good where we didn’t want to talk.  After we were done, we went straight home.  There were sweets there.  When we got back, we saw mom walking with a man I’ve never seen.  Mom saw us and froze before walking over. 

“Where did you two go?”  She asked cheerfully.  She was happier than usual. 

“We went and had dinner.”  Dad responded. 

“I’m sure that was nice.” 

“Who’s this?”  I asked the question I’m sure dad was thinking. 

“This is Haru.  He’s a colleague of mine at the hospital.  He decided to walk me home since it was so late out.”  I looked at Haru.  His features were similar to the family that was after me.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he was related to them. 

“I see.  Thank you for walking my wife home.” 

“It was no problem.”  He gave mom a weird look before leaving.  That did not sit right with me.

Mom smiled at me.  “How was dinner?” 

“It was good.  How was work?  Did you work overtime again?”  I asked.

“I did.  The paperwork was awful, but the important thing is I’m home safe and sound.”  We headed in. 

“Why don’t you go get ready for bed?  You had a long day.”  Dad told me. 

“Did you do something today?”  Mom asked me. 

“I joined a club.” 

“That’s nice.”  I walked up the stairs.  Mom seemed to be drunk on happiness.  It didn’t seem right.  I shook my head.  She couldn’t be having an affair behind dad’s back.  She’s madly in love with him.

For the next two weeks, I’ve been getting a lot better at archery.  Sachiko was happy with my progress.  The entire club was too.  Everything was going so well at school.  I actually wanted to go so I could go to archery after.  At home, things were different.  The air was a tenser than it was before and it’d only happen when both my parents were together.  Dad wasn’t even sleeping with mom anymore.  They tried to hide it, but it’s hard not to notice the footsteps leaving the bedroom to the living room during the middle of the night.  I wish things will fix themselves.  We were better anywhere but Namimori.  Would not living here still bring my family to the brink like this?  Would my parents eventually drift away from each other?  If they do get a divorce, where does that leave me?  I didn’t want to choose who I’d stay with.  I needed to stop thinking about it.  It’s only stress me out.  I went the archery practice that day.  Sachiko walked to me with a small hop in her step.  She was certainly happy about something. 

“Hey, Shiori?”  Sachiko called me.

“Yes?” 

“Do you like musicals?”  She asked with a smile.

“They’re alright.  Why?” 

“Well, it’s sort of tradition that the archery club helps the Tokyo Musical Association out.” 

“How do you help?”  I asked.

“We’re either casted as extras or help move pieces together between scenes.  I wondered if you’re alright with that and wanted to help.”

 “I’ll help.” 

She spun in a circle from pure excitement.  “Wonderful!  We’ll all go this weekend.” 

“I can meet you there.  I know where it is.”  I explained. 

“That’s right!  You’re originally from Tokyo, aren’t you.  That sounds like a plan.  Saturday at ten in the morning it is.  See you there, Shiori.  Maybe you’ll be casted.” 

It’d be best if I didn’t.  I don’t like it when many people stare at me.  At least helping the musical out will distract me from the situation at home.  During practice, I was able to get a few bullseyes.  It made me feel happy with my progress.  Grandpa would be proud.  At the end of practice, Sachiko handed me a very large packet. 

“W-what’s this?” 

“This is the script for the entire musical.  I already know what I’m doing, so I thought it’d be best for you to see what the thing is about.”  She commented.

“What are you doing?”  I asked.

She gave a large, cheeky smile.  “I’m part of the crew that helps with props.  I used to be in plays as a kid and I suck at acting.” 

“I see.  Thank you, Sachiko.” 

“No problem!  Oh, and your aim is getting a lot better.  You’ll be getting bullseyes all the time before you know it.”


	7. Chapter 7

The musical itself wasn’t a typical musical like those I’ve seen on Broadway.  There weren’t a lot of songs in the entire thing.  I’d consider it more of a play.  Either way, the play seemed unique.  It was a play about witches with elements of horror and mystery.  There were a lot of people that could get main roles.  I counted up to twenty-two main roles.  I read through the whole thing.  I actually liked the story and how it ended itself.  Throughout the week, I’ve been analyzing the play’s plot and how the characters looked and the way they interacted with each other.  I could hear how each character’s voice sounded.  When it was Saturday, I went to Tokyo early.  I wanted to go to the same bakery where I went with Xanxus.  I ordered a small pastry and a coffee to go.  After that, I started walking to the venue.  I could see Sachiko with everyone else the closer I got.  She waved me over. 

“I’m so happy you came, Shiori.”  Sachiko said with excitement.  She really showed it when she was passionate about something.  Even during practice, she’d be bouncing around with excitement.

“I’ve been reading the script since you gave it to me.  I really like it.”  I said.

“What about the ending?”  Someone who looked like an older Sachiko asked me. 

“I think it’s perfect.  The way the world burned down leaving Bern by herself is the best possible ending.  The way she ends up is a perfect metaphor of how her entire life was.  It also shows how this world wasn’t the real one either.  It was another game.”  I explained.

The woman and Sachiko blinked at me, not saying a word.  “You…”  They both looked surprised.

I tilted my head.  “Did I say something weird?”  I asked.

“You figured the mystery out.”  The woman said with awe. 

“I did?  I thought it was obvious.” 

“Shiori?”  Sachiko said quietly.

“Yes?”  I looked at Sachiko. 

“You’re a genius.” 

“I just read a lot.” 

The woman smiled brightly.  “I’m Yumi.  Sachiko is my little sister.”  No wonder they looked alike.  They even have that same happy aura around them.

“It’s nice to meet your acquaintance.” 

“You’re cute.  Let’s go inside.  I’m sure everyone else would like to meet you.” 

Inside, I heard chatter and people warming their vocal chords.  People were stretching and practicing small parts of dances.  “Did you bring in the high school volunteers?”  A man asked. 

“I did.”  Yumi said and took my hand and dragged me up to the man.  “Shiori, this is Keisuke Fuji.  He’s the one directing the play.” 

I bowed deeply.  “It’s nice to meet your acquaintance.”

Another man came in physically upset.  He was steaming.  “The whole production is ruined.”  He walked up to Keisuke. 

“What’s the matter, Hiro?”  Keisuke questioned. 

“I wanted at least someone in the main cast to realize the story and what it’s about.  They’re all a bunch of morons.”  Hiro spat.

“Hiro is the one that wrote the story.”  Yumi told me quietly. 

“Oh.”  I said as quietly.

Hiro looked down at me.  “Who are you?” 

“This is Shiori.  She’s volunteering from my sister’s high school.”  Yumi introduced me.  He scoffed. 

“Is that so?  Have you read the script?” 

“I have.”  I replied.

“What part did you want?” 

“I’d accept any role whether it’s helping backstage or on stage.”  I really didn’t mind what part I’d get.  I knew the best I’d get was an extra.

His cold eyes kept staring into mine.  He was waiting for me to break probably.  “Since you read the story, were you able to wrap your little mind around the entire point of the story?”  He asked with a demeaning tone.

“I have.” 

“Really?  Tell me what the point of the story is.”  He said.

“Everyone has their rightful place on stage.  The story is focused on Beatrice, but the other characters are just as important.  However, the way the story handles Bern is strange.  She’s a character unlike everyone else.  She’s able to talk with the audience and yet none of the characters thinks it’s strange.  There’s a meaning behind everything she does.  From my understanding, this is just one of many stories that Bern has been involved in.  She even hinted at it.  She repeats the same story, waiting for a time where she wins.  Yet, she ended up with death.  Depending on the other stories, her eternal rest is the best thing that can happen.  Even though she isn’t exactly the main character and the audience doesn’t know her past, but from what Bern says, it alludes to endless pain.  Existing is painful.  If she’s eternally resting, she can’t feel any more pain.”  The director and writer stared at me with absolute shock.  My classmates had the same expression.  “Did I say something weird again?”  I asked nervously.

“You said you’d take any role, right?”  Hiro asked.  I nodded, not sure what would happen.  “How do you feel about becoming Bern?” 

“Me?  Why?  Isn’t that role already assigned?”  I questioned.

“I kept it empty until the very last moment.  Bern is my favorite character I’ve ever created and holds a special place in my heart.  The way you spoke about Bern was as if Bern was standing in front of me.  You can feel her pain unlike everyone else that has auditioned.”  

“I…see.” 

“Are you alright with that?”  Sachiko asked me. 

“I feel like I have no choice.”  I commented.

“I hope you don’t have stage fright.”  The producer said warmly. 

“I-I’ve never been on stage before, much less sing and act.”  I said nervously.

“You’ll do fine.  Everyone will help you.”  The writer said ecstatically before taking me to the stage.  He clapped his hands.  “I need everyone’s attention!”  Once everyone was looking and showed themselves, Hiro gestured to me.  “This is Shiori.  She will be taking on the burden of Bern.  This is her first time, so please help her with everything.” 

Everyone was chattering about me.  I probably wasn’t what they expected.  Hell, I wasn’t expecting this at all.  Sachiko and the club were proud of me.  “Let’s get your measurements for the dress.”  I was taken backstage by Yumi where a group of costume creators were making the uniforms.  “We have our Bern.”  She announced to everyone before leaving me. 

After my measurements were taken, I was brought to a room with a piano by Hiro.  A woman walked in and sat down.  Hiro smiled at me.  “This is Maria.  She’ll help you with the songs.  For now, it’ll be a run through.  There’s a lot I’d like for you to do today.”  After running through the songs the best I could, I knew I needed to work on my vocals.

“Not too bad.  How are you with dancing?”  Hiro asked.

“I used to be in gymnastics.  Dancing was a must.” 

“Perfect!  You’ll do just fine.” 

We entered a room where a beautiful woman stood.  She had long golden hair and piercing blue eyes.  “Kiyomi.”  The woman turned. 

“Yes?”  She answered.

“I’d like for you and Shiori to practice together.  After all, she is Bern.”  The writer said.

“Oh!”  She walked over and stared down at me.  “So, you’re the one everyone is talking about.  You’re pretty cute.  I’m Kiyomi.  I’m playing the main role as Beatrice the golden witch.”  She said with a smile.

“Now that you two are acquainted, I leave Shiori in your hands.”  Once the writer left, I felt awkward. 

“Let’s go to a room where it’s just the two of us.  We won’t be disturbed by anyone else.”  She suggested.

“O-okay.” 

Kiyomi brought me to a small room.  We sat down facing each other.  “Let’s go over when you first show up.  The scene is in the otherworld where you’re sitting, drinking tea.”  My hands holding the script started shaking and I didn’t even speak anything yet.  Kiyomi put her hands over mine.  “It’s alright.  You’re allowed to make mistakes.” 

“I know.” 

“You’re worried if your Bern will be what everyone envisioned.”  Kiyomi said.  I nodded.  “I had the same problem with Beatrice.  We’re both cruel witches in this play.  If Bern was here, how would she sound like?  What would her expression be?” 

I looked Kiyomi in the eye and took a deep breath before I was ready.  Soon, we were slowly saying our lines.  Both of us were starting to get into character.  I think I’m starting to understand Bern the more I speak her lines and imagine how she’d act, how she’d think.  She’s emotionless and only shows the ugly side of humanity.  She’s cruel and uses people as she pleases.  In a way, I’m like Bern.  The door opened.  The writer and producer walked in. 

“How are things going?  It’s been a few hours.”  He asked.

“I’m flattered the great Lady Bern has visited me today.”  Kiyomi said in character.

“I’m only here to spectate.”  I said in character.  I imagined Bern as someone who was smug and spoke as if she knew everything that would happen.  It still wasn’t perfect to my own standards.

“Oh?”  The writer said with interest.

“I hope you don’t bore me.”  I stared right at the two with emotionless eyes. 

“Amazing!  Absolutely wonderful!” 

“I-is that alright?”  I asked nervously. 

“It was perfect.  It’s exactly how I wanted Bern to sound like.  In costume, you’ll fully become Bern.” 

Kiyomi patted my back.  “See?  You’ll be just fine.” 

“Thank you, Kiyomi.” 

That night, I stayed in Tokyo at a hotel thanks to the director.  I went out to eat at a ramen place.  That’s where I spotted Kiyomi with a few other cast members.  I went to a seat in the corner.  I got my usual order and took my phone out to pass the time.  I noticed I had a few missed messages.  It was someone I didn’t know.  I clicked on their number and saw pictures with no messages.  All the pictures were ones of me and Xanxus and then some of everyone else.  How did one of them get my number?  Either way, I was grateful for them.  I wanted to see everyone again.  My ramen came.  I ate while looking at the pictures.  I wonder how they’re all doing.  I wonder if Xanxus is okay.  I’m sure Squalo kept my promise, but I had no way to see if he did.  All I could do is assume he did. 

“I spy with my little eyes, the witch of miracles.” 

I looked up and saw Kiyomi.  “Hello.” 

“Why didn’t you sit with us?  I saw you looking over.”  Kiyomi asked.

“I didn’t want to be a burden.  Plus, you all looked about done with your meals.” 

She sat down.  “You get to deal with me now.  How do you think today went?” 

“I’m way out of my comfort zone.  I’m still uncomfortable.  I have no way to know if I did a good job or not.”  I replied honestly.

She hummed with thought.  “I think you could have done better, but you’re still new at everything.  I guess for your first day, you did pretty well.” 

We talked about the play as I finished eating.  “Do you have room in that stomach for dessert?”  Kiyomi asked with a chuckle.

“I always do.” 

She continued to laugh.  “Well, follow me.  I know just the place.”  Kiyomi brought me to a food stand where they sold dango.  She bought both of us some. 

“You didn’t have to buy mine.”  I said.

“Nonsense.  Just enjoy.”  We sat at a bend and started to eat.  Stars formed in my eyes after one bite.  It was so good.  “I’m glad you like it.” 

“It’s so delicious.”  Desserts were my personal heaven.  They can make me feel a lot better no matter the situation.

“Say, Shiori, tell me about yourself.  No one really knows you.  I’d like to know my costar just a little bit.” 

“Well, I grew up in Tokyo and then moved to Namimori.”  I explained briefly.

“That’s it?  Are you hiding things from me?”  She raised her eyebrow.

“I’m not hiding anything.” 

“I can tell you are.  Why?  I’m sure you have some interesting things about you.”  She insisted.

“I don’t usually open up to people because they’ll treat me weird.  I just want to be seen as normal.”  I said.

“Really?  Are you some secret genius?”  I hesitated to take a bite.  “I’m right!  What school did you go to in Tokyo?” 

“T-the one near here.”  I stuttered.

“The only one is…wait!”  Kiyomi’s eyes widened with shock.  “You got into that school?!” 

“I did.  If I tell people, they’ll treat me differently.” 

“I can see why.  You really are a genius.  No wonder you figured out Bern’s part of the play.”  I sighed and watched everyone pass by.  “Don’t worry.  Your secret is safe with me.” 

The next day was full of rehearsing like usual.  Thankfully, Bern didn’t have a lot of motion or much dancing other than one song.  The first time you see Bern is her sitting in a chair and that’s for most of the play.  It seemed like everyone else had their lines memorized and knew exactly what to do.  It was amazing to watch.  On the other hand, I didn’t have my lines memorized.  The producer reassured me I’d be fine, but I didn’t feel fine.  I’d need to work harder.  Kiyomi knew my concern and worked with me.  When I got home that night, I only saw dad. 

“Where were you?”  He questioned.

“I left mom a message since it wouldn’t go through to you.  Did she not tell you?”  I questioned.

“No.” 

“I was in Tokyo.  The club goes and volunteers to help with a play every year.  I got a main part of it.” 

“You did?  Congratulations.  I never thought you’d be the type to be on stage.”  Dad remarked. 

“I never thought I was either, but everyone is helping me every step of the way.” 

“When is it?”  He questioned.

“It’s in two months.” 

“That’s near Christmas.  I’ll be sure to go and let your mother know about it.”  Dad replied with a smile.

“You two don’t need to go.  It isn’t that important.” 

“You’re my daughter, Shiori.  I want to watch you.  Plus, this might be the only time you’ll be on stage.” 

“Okay.”  I went up to my room and noticed how neat my parents’ room was.  It was as if no one has slept in there for days maybe weeks.  My heart clenched. 

In school, Kyoko ran up to me.  “Is it true?”  She asked with stars in her eyes.

“What are you talking about?”  I asked.

“You got a main part in a play in Tokyo?”  Everyone turned their head towards me with curiosity. 

“I-it’s true.” 

“That’s amazing!  Sachiko has been telling everyone she sees about you.” 

My face turned red.  “Huh?!” 

“Oh!  Plain Jane is embarrassed.  I never thought I’d see the day.”  I kicked the guy’s chair in protest. 

“We’ll be sure to go support you, Shiori.”  Kyoko said with her hands together. 

“T-thank you.” 

Class went on normal that day.  In club, Sachiko knew what she did because her smile was wider than normal.  At least, I was able to practice my lines during club.  Sachiko played Kiyomi’s part badly.  No wonder she doesn’t act.  At home, mom was home. 

“Welcome home, sweetie.  Your father said you got a main role in a play.” 

“I did.”  I answered.

“That’s wonderful.  He even said it would be near Christmas.  I’ll have to check my schedule to see if I can go.” 

“Okay.” 

What was wrong with her?  If I had anything going on, she’d automatically cancel it to be there.  Every little thing I did, she was there.  What changed her?  Did she not want to be near dad?  I went up to my room and read over my lines.  This weekend would be when I’d get my costume and wig. 

When I got back to Tokyo on Saturday, I was rushed to try on my dress.  It was a black and white gothic Lolita dress with a blue ribbon near the neck.  It came with white tights and black shoes.  There was a black tail with a similar ribbon at the end that went with the dress.  Wait.  A tail?  I didn’t expect Bern to have a tail.  I quickly stripped of my clothes and then put the dress on.  It fit perfectly.  The dress came to my knees, a perfect length in my opinion. 

“Why is there a tail?”  I asked the seamstress.

“Hiro wanted it last minute.  We’re not too sure why he wanted one either.  We just follow his orders.”  She explained.

“I see.”  I shook a little to see the tail move.

“The dress fits perfectly.”  A woman came over and put the wig on my head.  The wig was dark steel-blue and long.  “All you need are the colored eye contacts and you’ll be perfect.” 

“Woah.”  I said to myself.

It looked really good on me.  Kiyomi walked towards me with her dress on.  She had a long, dark red Victoria dress with a choker.  She looked even more beautiful than usual. 

“I’m glad the dress fits the witch of miracles.”  Kiyomi commented.

“You look beautiful.”  I said with awe. 

She chuckled and walked to me.  “You don’t even look recognizable.” 

“It’s weird, but I like it.  It’s been a while since I’ve had long hair.”  I commented quietly. 

“Is that so?”  My hair used to be as long as the wig.  It ended at my waist.  That’s how everyone in Tokyo knew me before I left.  “You’d look even cuter with long hair.  Why did you cut it?”  Kiyomi asked me.  I stared at my feet.  I didn’t want to say.  Just thinking about it made me feel sick.  Kiyomi turned to the seamstress.  “I think the sleeves are a little too loose.” 

The two of us walked onto stage where everyone else was.  Only the two of us were in costume.  Everyone stared at us.  “You’re gorgeous, Shiori!”  Sachiko shouted.  My cheeks turned pink from the comment.  Kiyomi laughed at my expression. 

“Expect more compliments in the future.  Just imagine how many flowers you’ll get from everyone.”  Kiyomi said.

“Flowers?”  I questioned.

“It’s tradition for people to give flowers to the cast.”  She explained.

I hummed.  I probably wouldn’t get a lot anyway.  The two of us went through a few scenes before we were let out for lunch.  I was able to get out of the dress and wig.  I sighed and went to my bag.  My phone started ringing.  It was from that same number that sent me all those pictures. 

“Hello?” 

“Shiori!”  A familiar voice shouted from the other line.

My eyes widened.  “L-Lussuria?!  How did you get this number?” 

I could hear him laughing.  “I took it while you weren’t looking.  How are you doing?” 

“I’m doing well.  How are you?  How’s everyone?”  I asked.

“We’re all doing well, even Xanxus.”  Lussuria said softly.  I’m sure Squalo told him something for him to specify Xanxus.

“I’m glad.” 

“So, I heard you have a main role in a big play.”  Lussuria suddenly said. 

“How did you hear about it?”  How did word of the play get to Italy?

“A friend of mine is obsessed with the writer’s work and said how someone named Shiori filled out the legendary Bern.” 

My face was on fire.  “Huh?” 

“I’m thinking about going to watch.”  He mused.

“You can’t just come from Italy to see a play.  That’s too much money.” 

“Don’t worry about it.  I’ll have business in Japan around that time anyway.  I might bring everyone.” 

“Well, if you all have business, then I guess it won’t be too much trouble.” 

“Say, Shiori, do you still wear Xanxus’ feather?”  Lussuria asked out of the blue.

“I wear it all the time.  Why?”  I asked.

“I’m just wondering.  Squalo said you were worried about Xanxus.  What happened?” 

“I-It’s nothing, just my mind being stupid.”  I said in hopes that would drop the subject. 

“You stuttered.  Something happened and I’m worried.  We all are.” 

“It really is nothing.” 

“You sound depressed.  I might have to visit you now.”  He said.

“No!  That isn’t necessary.  Please, don’t do that.  Not for me.” 

“Shiori…”  I didn’t deserve their kindness.  I’m not worthy of it.  “Did those two make you worry when they left?”  Lussuria asked me. 

I let out a small sigh.  “They did.  Xanxus refused to look at me and even though Squalo reassured me everything would be fine, his eyes said everything was wrong.  Everyone refused to look at me.”  I said in a depressed tone.

“How’s home?”  He asked.

“I don’t even want to think about it.”  I didn’t like to think about it anymore.  Whenever I did, I would become nauseous.

Lussuria made a noise of disappointment.  “I’m sorry I’m not there to comfort you.  Do you have anyone you can talk to about it?” 

“You should know the answer, Lussuria.  I have no one.”  It was true.  I wasn’t close to anyone to go to them with my problems.

“Don’t say that.  It’s depressing.” 

“Hurry up and eat, Shiori.  You won’t have much time until lunch is over and we’re focusing on your parts.”  Kiyomi shouted from the stage. 

“I have to go.”  I hung up and ran to get my lunch.  Part of me wanted to tell Lussuria everything that was happening, but I couldn’t.  It was habit to not tell anyone what bothered me.

Lussuria let out a depressed sigh after Shiori hung up.  The rest of the Varia stared at Lussuria for answers.  They were all curious about what happened.  Most of them were worried.

“Well?”  Squalo was the first to speak. 

“She isn’t doing too well.” 

“Was it us?”  Squalo asked again. 

“It’s part of it, but apparently, home isn’t treating her too kindly either.  She didn’t even want to think about it.  I’m sure that’s why she’s doing the play.” 

“She wants to get her mind off of everything.”  Bel said. 

Lussuria looked at Xanxus.  He looked pissed off like usual.  Squalo looked and knew he was bothered.  Whether he’d admit it or not, Xanxus was getting attached to Shiori.  Squalo didn’t know why either.  Xanxus never got attached to anyone.  He didn’t know why everyone was getting attached to her.

“Do you think it’d be best to explain what we are to her?”  Levi asked. 

“No.  We’re not bringing her into this.”  Xanxus spoke and glared at Levi. 

That might be the problem.  Xanxus is worried she’d be targeted and since they were targeted the last time he was with Shiori, it made him realize she could end up becoming a target.  He never cared about anyone else until Shiori came into the picture.  None of them wanted Shiori to know of their job.  They didn’t know how she’d react.  Mammon found how Shiori’s existence was a double edged sword for the Varia.

With her, they all seem to be civilized and if she’d be in danger, they’d all work together.  Without her presence, the entire Varia worried about her constantly.  The worst part was how Xanxus was attached to her.  Mammon didn’t like that.  Maybe if he could find a balance between Shiori and the Varia, it’d make everyone content.  Mammon looked at Xanxus.  He seemed stressed about the entire thing. 

“Are you this stressed over Shiori, boss?”  Mammon asked. 

Xanxus clicked his tongue.  “I’m not stressed.” 

“If you say so.  I’m going to go for a walk.”  Once Mammon left, everyone sighed. 

They were all in a depressed mood.  Xanxus looked at his drink.  It didn’t even satisfy him how it used to.  He didn’t want to think about Shiori.  He wanted to hate her.  He hated the effect she had on him and yet would always find himself by her side.  It was Nono’s fault, but he should have seen it coming.  ‘If you get too attached to her, she’ll end up being targeted and tortured by people who want to bring you down.’  That’s what Nono told him.  After that, when he looked at her, all he could imagine was her all torn up and bloody.  It made him sick. 

“So, who wants to see Shiori’s play?”  

 


	8. Chapter 8

It’s been a month since I got my part in the play.  We were getting closer and closer to the actual day of the play.  Now, we were focusing on one half of the play and then the next day we’d go over the second half.  It sucked I didn’t live here or else I’d be here all the time, practicing as much as possible.  At least I had my archery club to keep things fun.  After club, I saw the writer at the school gates with a handsome man with red hair that had one side slicked back and what seemed to be black eyes.  The writer saw me and smiled widely.

“Shiori!  I’m glad I found you.”  The writer said with a big smile.

“Hello.  What are you doing here?  Shouldn’t you be at the play supervising?” 

“I wanted a break, so I came to see what kind of town Namimori is.  I even brought my acquaintance Angelo.” 

I gave a small bow.  “It’s nice to meet you.”  I greeted only to be polite.

He took my hand and kissed the back of it.  “It’s a pleasure to meet the one and only Bern.”  I took my hand back.  I didn’t like what he did or how he was staring at me. 

“Angelo here is originally from Italy but has traveled all over the world.  Once he heard about Bern being filled in, he immediately came as soon as he could.”  The writer said cheerfully.

“After all, not just anyone can become Bern.  My friend is very picky.”  Angelo spoke up.  I didn’t like him one bit.  He had mischief written all over his face.  My intuition told me not to trust him.  My instincts told me to run.

“Why did you wait for me?”  I asked the writer. 

“We saw your friend and she said you’d be the last one out.”  Angelo stated.  I didn’t have friends at the school.  He must have meant Sachiko.

“Is that so?  Well, you’ve seen me.  I need to get home so I can get my work done.” 

“Allow me to walk you home.”  Angelo said. 

“No.”  I answered firmly.

“I’m just trying to be a gentleman.  It won’t hurt if I walk you home, right?”  Angelo questioned.

“My answer stays.”  He finally got my message.  I didn’t trust him and he knew that.  “Good day.”  I gave a small bow before leaving. 

I could feel Angelo’s stare burn into my back.  I tried turning around the corner as fast as I could but bumped into someone.  I looked up and saw a familiar green jacket.  “Dino?” 

“Shiori?”  He looked passed me and suddenly ran away, dragging me along.  “What’s the matter?”  I questioned.

“How do you know Angelo?”  He asked seriously. 

“I just met him a couple of minutes ago.  He’s friends with Hiro.”

“Good.  You need to stay far away from him as possible.”  Dino looked on edge.

“Why?”  I asked.

“He’s a bad person who’s known to target girls your age.” 

“What does he do to his victims?”

“I’m not sure you’d want to hear.” 

I sighed.  “Just tell me, Dino.  If I’m ever in a room with him where I can’t escape, I should at least know what will happen to prepare myself.” 

He hesitated.  “He’s known to rape his victims.  He hasn’t killed anyone yet, but he’d do anything to satisfy his lust.” 

I started tugging at my hair.  I didn’t like the sound of that.  “I’m sorry.  I knew I shouldn’t have said that.” 

“Thank you for telling me, Dino.  I’ll be sure to avoid him at all costs.  I guess that’s why I got a bad feeling from him.”  I stopped tugging my hair and sighed.  It’d be a long month if Angelo would be staying the entire time.  I’d have to do my best to not be alone with him.

“You’re going to be part of that big play, right?”  Dino asked, changing the subject.  I nodded.  “I heard you got a big part.” 

“I’m casted as Bern the witch of miracles.”  I replied.

“Really?  The writer must have casted you himself.  Are you familiar with Tokyo?”  Dino asked.

“I am.  Why?” 

“If you need to run from Angelo, I’d give you a few contacts that would protect you.” 

Dino’s serious expression made me chuckle.  It didn’t look right on him.  “That’s alright.  I grew up in Tokyo.  I know quite a few people.” 

“Good.  Wait.  What kind of people are they?” 

“They’re kind people, Dino.”  I replied with a smile.

“T-the way you just said that makes me think they’re not.” 

I let out another laugh.  “They’re kind to me at least.  Some are yakuza.  Well, most of them are.”  They all are.  The Yakuza are the only people I actually know.  Other classmates and teachers were only acquaintances.

“What?!”  Dino shouted.

“I was paid to tutor their sons.”  I explained.

“Aren’t they dangerous?”

“Yes, but they all respect me for dealing with their sons because they’re idiots.  So, now the sons are protective of me even if all they do pick on me all the time.” 

“Those are some weird friends.” 

“They’re not my friends.”  I said abruptly.  There was no hesitation in my answer.

“Huh?” 

“I don’t really have any friends.”  I spoke softer.

Dino frowned.  He probably pitied me.  I hated that.  “Why?  Do you not trust people?” 

“It’s not that I don’t trust people, I can’t trust anyone.” 

“Did something happen?”  He asked.

I nodded.  “I don’t like talking about it.” 

“I won’t force you.  You can always talk to Squalo.” 

“Huh?”  I questioned.

He smiled proudly.  “Did you really think I’d fall for that obvious lie?” 

“You asked Squalo, didn’t you?”  I asked, knowing exactly what Dino did.  The expression he had made it obvious.

“Yes.”  I sighed.  I should have known.  Dino seemed the kind of guy to do that.  He wasn’t the smartest.  “I’m sorry if Squalo yelled at you and scared you.  It’s just his character.” 

“He didn’t scare me.  Sure, he yelled at me once or twice, but he never scared me.” 

“Really?” 

“I’ve seen rougher people.”  That was true.  I’ve seen women scarier than Squalo.  Sure, one of them is Syoko, but her friends are also terrifying in their own way.

“I believe you.”  Dino ended up walking with me.  “Hey, Shiori, are you alright with me walking home with you?”  Dino asked out of the blue.

“I am.  If Squalo can trust you, I can too.  At least, I can trust you to an extent.”  If Squalo was fine with letting Dino know about me, I could deal with him.  At least he didn’t scream or slap my back all the time like Squalo.

“I get it.  I’m glad Squalo has a friend like you.  He’s been a lot more level-headed lately.” 

“Are you sure we’re thinking of the same person?” 

Dino burst out laughing.  “I’m probably thinking of someone else then.  The real Squalo is always making everyone deaf.” 

“Tell me about it.  I’ll have to bill him if he ever blew out my ear drum.”  Dino kept laughing.  He knew Squalo the best and for years compared to me.  If he was laughing, then my assumption about Squalo was right.

When we got to my house, I saw the same doctor that was with mom that night walk out of the house.  Mom was in the door, waving.  They were both wearing civilian clothing.  They weren’t in uniform.  She looked happier than ever.  The doctor walked passed me with a smirk that was meant for me.  Dino caught it and looked down at me.  I saw my dad walk over and stared at me and then my mom.  That’s when mom saw me. 

“I didn’t see you, sweetie.  Welcome home.  Who is this?  Did you get a boyfriend?”  I didn’t answer her.  I kept looking at dad’s disgusted expression.  He was in shock and staring at mom.  Dad walked over to mom.

“Yes?”  She questioned sweetly.

“Inside.  Now.”

My mom did a full spin.  It was as if she was a different person.  “What now?”  She questioned with attitude and disgust.

“Go.”  Dad said firmly.  When she walked inside, he walked to me.  “It’s probably best if you didn’t come home tonight.  I love you.”  Dad kissed the top of my head before heading inside.

“Shiori?”  Dino asked once the door closed.  I dropped my bag and fell to my knees.  I couldn’t believe it.  Dino crouched down and put a hand on my back.  “Let’s go.  I’ll bring you somewhere safe.” 

I reluctantly stood up and picked up my bag.  “I’ll be fine.  You can go now, Dino.” 

“I’m not going to leave you.  If Squalo found out, he’d kill me.”  Dino said softly.

“Where will you bring me?”  I asked with no emotion in my voice.

“I have a hotel room booked.  You can stay with me.” 

“No.”  I answered.

“I’ll get you your own room then.” 

“No.  Just stop.  I…don’t deserve this.”  My voice was getting weaker.

“Don’t make me call Squalo.” 

“He can’t do anything.” 

Dino then called Squalo like he said.  “What the hell do you want?”  I could hear Squalo from the phone.  Was it on speakerphone?

“Shiori is being stubborn.”  Dino replied.

“Why are you with her?!”  Squalo exploded with anger. 

“I was walking her home because a sketchy guy was staring at her.” 

“Why are you calling me then?”  Squalo said.  I could hear he was annoyed with Dino.

“Let’s just say Shiori can’t go home right now and I told her to come with me so she’s safe.  She’s being stubborn.” 

We heard Squalo sigh heavily.  “It isn’t Shiori if she isn’t stubborn.  Put her on.”  Dino handed the phone over to me.  I saw it was on speakerphone.  I took it off.

“What is it?”  I asked with annoyance. 

“Go with the bastard.  He might be weird, but you can trust him with your life.”  Squalo demanded.

I groaned.  “I don’t want to.” 

“VOI!”  There was a struggle on the other line.

“Shiori.”  I heard Xanxus’ voice.  Dino saw me perk up.  He leaned in to hear what was being said. 

“What?”  I asked.

“Go with him.”  He said.

“I’ll go on one condition.” 

“What?” 

I glared at Dino which made him step back.  “Why did you act that way?”  I asked quietly, still glaring at Dino. 

Xanxus sighed and was silent.  “VOI!  Where are you going?”  “Leave me be, trash!”  Squalo and Xanxus were fighting.  That’s when I heard a door slam shut. 

“The old man said something that shook me up.”  Xanxus said.

“What was it?”  I asked. 

“I don’t want to say.” 

“Say it.”  I urged him. 

He let out another sigh. “He said if I was around you, you’d end up hurt.”  He said with a soft voice.

“He said that?  I’m sorry.”  I apologized.

“It isn’t your fault.  Who’s the creep that tried to follow you?”  He questioned, obviously changing the subject.

“Dino apparently knew him.  His name is Angelo.” 

Even though Xanxus didn’t say anything, I could feel what he was feeling.  It was like the time he got hurt.  This time it was anger.  “Whatever you do, do not go anywhere with that man.”  I’ve never heard Xanxus’ voice like that.  It was strained and full of worry.  “If he touches you in any way, you tell me and I’ll kill the bastard.”  That was an order.  I felt like if I were to disobey him, I’d be in trouble.

“O-okay.” 

“Go with Dino.  Even though we’re not there to protect you, he’s the only option I have.  He’s the only one I can trust in Japan to take care of you.” 

“Okay.” 

“Give the phone back to Dino.  I have a message for him.” 

I laughed quietly.  “Don’t be too harsh.”  I gave the phone to a confused Dino. 

“Dino.”  Xanxus said.  I could surprisingly still hear Xanxus.  Dino paled considerably.  “You better protect her with your life.  If she’s even touched by Angelo on your watch, I will be taking your head.” 

“I understand!  I’ll take care of her.” 

“Your life is counting on it.”  The call ended.  Dino was still pale. 

“Shall we?”  He asked, giving me his arm.  I grabbed it and walked beside Dino to a car.  “I’m surprised you know Xanxus.”  Dino said, recovering from the promise Xanxus made.

“He was with Squalo.  Their kanji was messed up and they’d have to pay a fortune to go to where they needed to be.”  I explained.

At the hotel, all of Dino’s men were confused to see Shiori.  She didn’t bother looking around like anyone else would.  If it was Tsuna, he’d be gawking at the men in suits.  Dino gave his men a look.  They needed to behave around her.  “Why is she here?”  One of them asked.

“We’re protecting her.”  Dino said with his usual smile.

“Is someone after her?” 

“Angelo.”  The entire room froze.  Shiori noticed it immediately. 

“Should we protect her until the threat is taken care of?”  A man asked. 

“That might be wise, but I’ll have to see what Squalo wants.”  Dino turned to Shiori.  “I have some clothes you can wear for tonight.  You’ll have to stay in my room with me just to be safe.” 

“That’s okay.”  She responded with a smile. 

“Are you better after Squalo told you?”  She nodded happily.  Dino then knew why Squalo liked Shiori so much.  Her smile instantly relaxed Dino.  It was like Nana in that sense.  She was very selfless and wasn’t scared of things people would be scared of.

“Go take a shower to relax.  I’ll have room service ordered.”  Dino encouraged.  Shiori looked exhausted between Angelo and her parents.

“You don’t need to do that.  I can grab something from the convenience store.”  She said.

“No can do.  Squalo’s and Xanxus’ orders are to keep you safe.”  Dino reminded her.

She pouted.  “Fine.  It won’t be my fault if you go broke.” 

“Huh?” 

“Did Squalo not tell you of my black hole stomach?  I can eat twice of what he can.  It’s my most defining feature.”  Everyone in the room paled. 

“How is that possible?  You’re so small.” 

“I did gymnastics and other things for years as a kid.  As a result, I constantly need food.”  She explained.

“That’s amazing.”  Dino said excitedly.

“I’ll go run to the store and pick up some food.”  A man said before rushing out with two others.  “We’ll take care of you, Shiori.  Don’t worry, okay?”  Dino said.  “Okay.” 

Once Shiori went into the bathroom, Romario looked at his boss.  “Sir?”  He asked, wanting questions.

“Her mother is having an affair and it was found out today by her and her father.  He told her not to go home.”  Dino explained the situation in a hush tone.

“I see.  I’m surprised you convinced her to stay with you.” 

“It wasn’t me.  Xanxus did.” 

“What?”  By now only Romario was the only one in the room. 

“I’ve never heard Xanxus’ voice like that.  It was gentle.”  Dino was still trying to digest the tone Xanxus used with Shiori.

“Are you sure that was him?” 

“I’m sure.  He threatened me.  If Shiori got touched by Angelo on my watch, he’d kill me.  Squalo threatened the same, but Xanxus really terrified me.” 

“Do you think Nono is aware?”  Romario asked.

“I’m not sure, but it seems like Shiori is close to the Varia.”  Dino said.  A few minutes later, his men came back with three bags of food. 

“This’ll hopefully fill her up.” 

“Thank you.  Just leave it on the table.” 

The three put the bags down and left to their own room.  Shiori came out of the shower an hour later.  Her eyes were red, probably from crying.  Dino was never good at consoling girls.  Reborn would always mention it whenever Dino had to deal with girls.  Shiori looked worn out.  She was wearing one of Dino’s shirts and a pair of shorts she happened to have on her. 

“Hungry?”  She nodded.  “It’s all on the table.”  She looked through everything and put it all out on the table in a specific order.  She then started eating.  Dino put the television on to distract himself.  Dino saw Shiori eat everything on the table.  She let out a sigh and rubbed her stomach.  “Are you still hungry?”  Dino asked.

“I’m full.”  Her voice was still empty.

“I’m glad.”  She then took her homework out and finished it all in mere minutes.  “Man, I wish I could’ve done that when I was your age.  It took me hours to finish homework.” 

“I was unfortunately gifted with smarts.”  She seemed to not like her gift.  Dino wasn’t too sure why.

“That’s not a bad thing.”  He responded.

“I went to the most prestigious cram school in the country, Dino.  I was ostracized from a lot of people because of it.” 

“Really?  If you were in such a prestigious school, why are you in Namimori then?” 

“My parents wanted to move.  I wish it didn’t happen.” 

“If you didn’t move, you wouldn’t have met Squalo and all of them.”  Even mentioning the Varia didn’t help Shiori.  There was no reaction.

“If I didn’t move, my family would still be the same.  If only that family…”  She cut herself off before talking any more.  She was getting physically angry.  She was shaking.  Shiori felt true anger when it came to that family.  It was strange to see that expression on her. 

“What family?”  Dino asked.

Shiori scoffed.  “I didn’t comply to the rules of the town that’s run by a family with mental issues.  Because of that, I’m somehow at war with them.  They vowed to make my life hell.  They pulled my application out of a cram school I wanted to go to and already tried to kidnap and possibly kill me multiple times.” 

Dino’s eyes widened with shock.  “What?” 

She walked to the bed and landed on her stomach.  She didn’t even bother to cover herself.  “I refuse to bow down and kiss their foot.”  Shiori sighed, almost as if releasing all her anger in one sigh.  “That man…he’s one of them.  He was ordered to do this.  I’m sure of it.  It’s my fault.  I didn’t know they’d stoop this low, but…”  Dino waited for her to finish, but she didn’t.  A soft snore came from Shiori. 

Dino tucked her into bed.  He felt bad for her.  He knew Shiori’s parents would divorce.  From the people that went through something similar, they all suffered some way.  On top of this, Shiori was also being targeted by a family.  It didn’t make sense.  Why would a family be after a single girl for breaking a few rules?  Namimori didn’t seem like a place full of rules.  Dino’s phone rang.  He picked it up without looking at who called.  “Hello?” 

“Hello, Dino.” 

“Nono?”  Dino was surprised.  “Is everything alright?  You don’t usually call me.” 

“I wanted to check on Shiori.”  This surprised Dino.

“You know about her?” 

Nono chuckled.  “She hosted me and my guardians to a wonderful dinner of hotpot.  Xanxus and Squalo were also there too.” 

“I see.” 

“It was delicious.  I heard from Xanxus Angelo might be after her.”  Nono said, going straight to business.

“That’s correct.”  Dino responded seriously. 

“Why is she staying with you?  Shouldn’t you protect her house?”  Nono asked curiously.

“That’s why she’s with me.  Her family isn’t doing too well.  Her father told her not to go home so he and her mother could fight.  At least, that’s what I think is happening.”  Dino could still remember Shiori’s father and how he looked.  He couldn’t imagine the feeling of being betrayed like that.  It was the ultimate betrayal.

“An affair?” 

“Yes, sir.  That’s what I believe.” 

“I see.  That poor girl has the worst of luck.”  Nono’s voice was strained and soft.

“She does?”  Dino asked. 

Nono made a noise of agreement.  “She’s very sensitive to flames.  She was attacked by a flame user and was taken over by a horrible sickness.” 

“What?  How did she get better?”  Dino has heard about the symptoms of flame sensitivity.  He’s heard of someone that died from being too sensitive.  A flame overdose sent the person’s body into overdrive and instantly killed them from shock.

“It was Xanxus.  He used his flame.”  Nono explained.

“Wouldn’t he have hurt her with his flame?” 

Dino looked at Shiori sleeping peacefully.  “He can produce a soft flame, Dino.  Thanks to Xanxus’ flame in her body, she was able to save everyone’s lives.” 

“How so?”  Dino was curious.  He looked at Shiori sleeping peacefully.

“We were in Osaka when we had dinner with Shiori.  There was a meeting that turned bad.  Xanxus ordered Squalo to stay with Shiori.  Yet, she could tell Xanxus was injured.  She pleaded Squalo to go.  When he did, he killed the enemy before any of us were severely hurt or even killed.” 

“That’s amazing.  Wait.  Does that mean Xanxus had to use his flame on Shiori before?” 

“It certainly is amazing and yes, he has used it on her before.  That’s what I’m thinking.  It’s the only explanation why she could sense Xanxus was in trouble.  Anyway, the three of us went back to check on Shiori.  She was on the back porch eating cake and drinking tea as if nothing happened.  She was scolded by both Squalo and Xanxus.  She collapsed and Xanxus brought her to her bed.  That’s when I saw his flame.  I would have helped her, but he wouldn’t allow me to touch her.” 

Dino’s heart melted.  If Nono didn’t say it was Xanxus, Dino wouldn’t have known or even guessed who helped Shiori.  “His flame is too weak to completely help her, so I did what Xanxus couldn’t.  Don’t tell him that.  He’ll be very mad at me.” 

“I won’t.  Do you think she should be told about the mafia?”  Dino questioned.  “I think so, but I want it to come from Xanxus.  She might not be able to trust the Varia, mostly Xanxus, if we told her.”

“You sound happy.”  Dino said with a smile. 

“I am.  I was almost sure Xanxus wouldn’t be kind to anyone, but he proved me wrong and I’m glad.  Even if it’s only Shiori he’s like that to, I’ll be content.” 

“You want her to know, don’t you?”  Dino said in regards to the mafia. 

“I do, but I’m not sure how she’d take it.  I told Xanxus that because of being around Shiori, he’ll put a target on her back.  She’ll be taken and tortured by any enemy that wants to get back at him.  I shouldn’t have told him then.”  

“Why is that?”  Dino asked, heating up food from the other night. 

“He refused to look her in the eye.  I’m sure he could see her in those situations.  He’s still extremely upset at it.  It made her worry.” 

“Well, I think she’d be just fine.  I haven’t known her for long, but she’s been around yakuza since she was a kid.  Plus, there’s a family in Namimori that’s after her and have tried to kidnap and harm her.” 

Nono hummed in thought.  “That’s troublesome.  I was planning on having a party where I’d invite her.  Maybe I can use this as a way to keep her away from Namimori.” 

“I think that’d be nice.” 

“I’d have her stay with the Varia of course.  They won’t allow anyone else to take care of her.” 

“They really care about her.”  Dino looked over and couldn’t help but smile.  Despite the Varia being terrifying, they’ll do anything to protect Shiori.

“Watch over her for me, alright, Dino?” 

“You got it.  Xanxus already threatened me.” 

Nono laughed.  “I’m glad.  It might be my old man delusions, but it’d be nice if they got married.” 

“M-married?  Her and Xanxus?”  Dino almost choked on his spit.

“Of course.  If she’s the only one Xanxus is like this too, it’ll have to be official.  She might be my only chance to get grandchildren.”  Dino couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  Xanxus and Shiori?  He couldn’t see it at all.  He looked too mean.  “I should tell Lussuria.  He’ll start planning.”  Nono said too happily.

“I don’t think Xanxus would like that.” 

“It’s Shiori.  He’s soft when it comes to her.”  It made sense with the way Xanxus treated her. 

“I’ll start planning while you enjoy the rest of your night.  Make sure Shiori is safe.  I’d hate my daughter to be hurt.” 

“I’ll do my best.”  Dino ended the call. 

He didn’t just have the Varia after him if she got hurt.  Nono would come after him.  Dino ate his dinner and then went to bed.  Shiori was still snoring.  Hopefully, all her problems will pass.  If Xanxus was here, would he be keeping her by his side?  Dino thought so.  The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of the two together. 

By the next morning, Dino woke up and saw Shiori was still sleeping.  Romario walked in with breakfast.  “I see she’s still sleeping.”  Romario said softly to not wake her up.

“She must have been exhausted.  I talked to Nono last night.” 

“Why did he call?  Did something come up?” 

“He wanted to check on Shiori.  Apparently, he sees Shiori as a daughter to him.” 

“Really?” 

Dino looked back at Shiori.  “Apparently, Nono think Shiori is the only chance he has to getting grandkids.” 

“With Xanxus?”  Dino nodded.  “Why would he want Shiori to marry that awful man?” 

“He isn’t awful.  At least he isn’t like that to Shiori.  He speaks softly to her.  I think he’d do anything for her.” 

“Are you sure?”  Romario questioned. 

“I’m sure.  Nono saw it with his own eyes.”  They heard Shiori make a noise before waking up.  She sat up and looked at the two.  “Good morning, Shiori.  Breakfast is here.”  Dino greeted.

“Morning.”  Her stomach roared.  “I’m hungry.” 

“Shall I get more food?”  Romario asked.  Shiori nodded and crawled over and started eating. 

“Did you sleep well?”  Dino asked.  She grunted and kept eating.  He chuckled at her.  Those grunts were like Xanxus when he didn’t want to talk.  Nono was getting into his head too much.  Romario came back in with more food. 

“I’ll have your uniform waiting when you’re done.”  “Thank you.”


	9. Chapter 09

School was the same with the exception of Dino escorting me to school.  He insisted to do it himself instead of having his men escort me.  It was strange, but I didn’t mind it.  If Xanxus wanted Dino to protect me, I’d allow it.  Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t just attack Angelo in the open.  I will do what I need to for survival, but I won’t act unless it’s necessary.  “What time should I pick you up?”  Dino asked me.

“Around five.  I have club after school.” 

“I’ll be waiting.  If anything happens, call me immediately.” 

“I will.  Thank you, Dino.” 

My classes were the same as usual.  No one bothered me.  At club, I saw the writer and Angelo.  They were going to watch us practice.  Unfortunately, Angelo decided to be by my side to watch me.  “I see we meet again, Bern.  How good is your aim?”  He asked in a sultry voice.

“It depends if I’m right in front of you or a few yards away.”  I said as coldly as possibly.

“That hurt.”  I shot the arrow into the middle like usual.  He whistled.  “That’s pretty impressive.”  As he kept talking, I shot another arrow.  Angelo got right behind me and put his hands all over without looking too out of place.  Not even the people next to me noticed.  Angelo wasn’t a novice at this.  I could definitely tell this was not his first time.

“Hands off.”  I growled.

“I’m not going to hurt you.  I’m just seeing how athletic your body is.  You must be strong to be an archer.”  I know he was doing this to make sure I can’t fight him off when he goes in for his attack.  I relaxed my muscles so he wouldn’t feel how developed I really am.  “You’re rather normal for your age.  Soft, too.” 

“And you have experience with that, you sick bastard?”  I said quietly so only he would hear. 

“Why do you think I’m a bad guy?” 

“I know you’re a bad guy.” 

“You have no evidence.”  He whispered.

“I don’t have any that you’re aware of.” 

By the end of practice, Angelo followed me out.  Dino was at the gate waiting for me.  He paled when he saw Angelo right behind me.  “Get behind me.”  I said in a hushed voice and grabbed Dino’s wrist and kept walking.  Angelo stopped at the gates and kept watching like the predator he is.  It made me physically ill.

“You can’t run from me.  I’ve already chosen you, my dear.”  Angelo called out to me.

I felt sick but kept going.  I ended up letting go of Dino and running.  I made it near my house when I stopped.  I held the wall for support.  Dino caught up, huffing and puffing.  “Y-you’re really fast.  You alright?”  Dino asked in between pants.  He wasn’t in the best shape, but I am more athletic than the normal person.  I couldn’t hold it in anymore.  I puked everything I had in my stomach out.  Dino instantly came to my side, rubbing my back. 

“It’ll be alright.”  He said.  When I was done, I walked a few steps before collapsing onto my knees.  I was exhausted.  “Did he touch you?”  I nodded.  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” 

“Stop apologizing.  I hate it.”  I ordered.

“I’m just worried about you.” 

“I…I know his type all too well.”  It was unfortunate I knew.  I wished I didn’t, but it’d keep me alive if Angelo ever tried something.  I just wouldn’t allow him to know that.

“What do you mean?” 

“They start by flirting to get you hooked on their looks.  They sometimes go to the extreme of getting plastic surgery to enhance their body.  When they find a target they like, they won’t stop until they get what they want.  They’ll then feel you up no matter what you do to see the physique you have so they’ll know what kind of force to use.  If you fight against them, it makes things easier for them.  After that, they’ll break you down until you can’t take it anymore and submit to them.  Once you do that, it’s over.  They’ll do whatever they want to you.”  Dino hugged me tightly.  “Dino?”  I questioned softly.  Why was he hugging me?

“You need to tell me the truth, Shiori.  Were you raped at a younger age?”  I didn’t know Dino was capable of being this serious.  I guess he had his moments.

“Almost.  I think you’d call what those people did to me was torture.  It was inhumane.  No matter how much I screamed, no one came.”  I could feel myself get shaky just remembering what happened.  I forced myself to stop talking.  If I continued, I’d go insane.

Dino put me on his back and brought me to the hotel where his men were.  They protected the entire floor we were on.  “Are you feeling better?”  Dino asked after he put me down in the room.  I sat on the bed and relaxed.

“I am.  Thank you.”  Dino handed me a cup of hot tea that was waiting.  “Can you not tell anyone what I told you?”  I asked quietly.

“Of course.” 

“You especially can’t tell Xanxus and the rest of them.  I don’t know what they’d do if they found out.  They’d probably treat me differently than everyone else.  They’ll treat me like I’m made of glass.  That usually happens.”  I said.

“I won’t.”  I nodded and put my attention to the cup.  I could see my reflection.  I don’t think I could ever have long hair again.  Even though I liked it, I’d be too paranoid everything would happen again.  I didn’t want anyone to use my hair against me.  “Shiori?” 

I looked up at Dino.  “Yes?” 

“Have you wanted to go back to Italy?”  Did he ask me this to distract me from earlier?

“I would love to go someday.  I wouldn’t even mind moving there permanently.  I really enjoyed my stay when I was there.  The people were kind and nothing ever stressed me out.” 

“If I gave you a ticket to Italy and a place to live where you didn’t have to worry about anything, would you take it?”  He said.  I could tell he wasn’t lying.

“I wouldn’t right now.  I have business I need to take care of first.”  I said.

“What business?” 

My eyes got dark.  “I want to destroy that family.” 

Dino seemed taken aback from me.  “Do you want to kill them?” 

“Killing them is too kind at this point.  I need to show I’m the stronger one.  They were confident I wouldn’t escape Kyoto, but I managed just fine.  Sure, Xanxus and everyone saved me after I passed out, but I still got out alive.  I’m not a killer, but I’ll make their lives certainly miserable.  It’s something I’m great at.”

Once the weekend came, I was forced to deal with Angelo since he was invited to watch what went on behind the scenes.  Some people who have worked with the author for years knew Angelo pretty well.  This was normal for Angelo to be here.  Kiyomi saw how uncomfortable I was with him and would always be with me.  We shared an unspoken language.  She could tell he wasn’t exactly the best person.  We went through the play straight through without stopping to correct any mistakes.  Afterwards, the writer pulled me aside. 

“Did I do something wrong?”  I questioned.

“For the last scream, I need you to give it everything you got.  Make everyone feel your pain.  Shake the heavens!”  He explained with great emotion. 

“I’ll try.” 

The play lasted for four hours.  It was a long play, but the writer was known for creating long plays.  I couldn’t wait until I got home.  I needed to relax.  A nice hot bath seemed ideal.  I’m sure mom and dad are done fighting by now.  When I got home, I stopped at the door.  I could hear screaming.  They were still fighting?  It was the worst I’ve heard so far.  I wonder when it’ll end.  Would mom send the Hibari family after dad?

“At least don’t make it obvious in front of our daughter!”  Dad yelled. 

“I’ll do what I want.”  Mom’s voice was cold.

“You’re being selfish.” 

“Me?  Selfish?  Why can’t you see I’m not happy?”  Mom shouted at dad.

“You need to communicate that with me!  I’m not a mind reader.” 

“I can’t get anything through that think skull of yours, can I?  I haven’t been happy for seventeen years!”  My eyes widened.  She was happier without me.

“Don’t you dare blame it on Shiori.”  Dad’s voice was low, full of anger.

“She’s the cause of this whole mess!  How can I not blame it on her?  She’s the only thing that changed!”  The hand that gripped the door handle shook.  I couldn’t tell if I was angry or sad.  “She was never a normal girl anyway.  She can’t even do something as simple as make friends to save her life.”  Mom said in a mocking tone.

“If you even payed attention, you’d know she actually made friends.” 

“Well, it’s about time, isn’t it?”  She spat sarcastically.  “And don’t get me started about the incident.”  Mom started up again after a few seconds of silence.  “What idiot just openly trusts strangers?  Because of that, her body is scarred.  Even if she does have friends, who would really accept that?  Who would love someone broken like that?”  I took a step back.  Was this what she really thought of me? 

“You can’t blame her for that!  She was a kid!”  Dad yelled.

“She’s a stupid kid.  I thought we taught her better, but I guess that didn’t help her.  I don’t care what the papers say.  She’s as stupid as they get.” 

“Don’t talk about our daughter like that!  What would you do if she heard this?” 

“It’d get a lot off my plate.”  Mom said without a care in the world.

I took a few more steps away from the door.  This couldn’t be happening, right?  I looked into the window and saw it really was mom who was saying those things.  I took a few more steps back before leaving.  I had to for my own sanity.  I didn’t want to hear more of what she thought of me.  It was more than enough to break me.  She brought back all those memories again.  I went to the park and sat on the swing.  It started to rain. 

“Great.”  I muttered to myself.  This was rather a cliché moment.  Never in my life did something like this happen.  Though, the weather report did say it’ll rain.  I contemplated on calling Dino, but I didn’t feel like hearing his voice or dealing with him.  My phone rang.  I picked it up.  “Hello?” 

“What’s wrong?”  It was Xanxus. 

“It’s nothing.  Why did you call?”  I questioned.

“Don’t bullshit me.  I can feel your emotions the same way you could feel when I was injured.” 

“Oh.”  I still didn’t understand why that happened.

“Your voice is empty.  Who hurt you?” 

“I just heard some unpleasant things.  That’s all.”  I replied.

“What was said?”  His voice was soothing. 

“I’d rather not say.  You’d start questioning me and I don’t want to remember what happened.” 

He let out a sigh.  “Who made you feel like this?” 

“My mom.  Apparently…I’m the cause of her unhappiness.  I’m the cause of everything.  My existence is the reason everything is falling apart.”  I said.  I felt like I was going to explode.

Xanxus stayed silent.  He probably didn’t know what to say.  “If Japan is too much, you’re welcomed to stay with me.” 

“With you?”  I asked with slight surprise.  He made a noise.  “Dino offered something similar.  He said if he gave me a place and a ticket where I don’t have to worry about anything, if I’d go.”

Xanxus clicked his tongue in response.  “Don’t accept any offer from him.” 

“I won’t.  I’d take your offer immediately, but I still have business here.” 

“You plan on destroying that family.”  Xanxus said.

“Yes.  Plus, I’d like for my father to be comfortable.  He’s suffering more than me.” 

“He can come with you.  After you destroy them, I’ll provide you and your father with everything you need.” 

“Really?” 

“Really.”  He said.  I knew he wasn’t trying to make me feel better.  He was speaking the truth.

“Even if we end up being a burden?”  I asked as if I was a child.  I felt like that when I was vulnerable.

“You’re not a burden.  If anyone says a word, I’ll kill them.”  I don’t know why, but I felt happy.  I could cry.  “Call Dino.  Your safety is still my priority.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

Two weeks have passed.  Today, the school was celebrating the archery club members for volunteering in the play.  I guess this is something they do every year.  Some teachers even made extra credit where they’d have to go to the play and show the ticket the next day we had class.  The ones involved in the play were even given extra credit.  Kyoko ran up to me with a couple of other students from class. 

“Are you nervous?”  A student asked.

“I’m not.”  I replied.

“It must be great working with professionals.”  A girl said in a dream like state, imagining what it’d be like.

“Hey, will we be able to recognize you?”  Someone asked. 

“No.  I wear a wig and colored eye contacts.” 

“When do you appear?”  Someone else asked.

“Near the end of the first part.” 

“Really?  That’s boring.” 

“Not really.”  I replied awkwardly. 

Yamamoto walked up to me.  “What’s your character?” 

“I play Bern the witch of miracles.” 

“Really?  That sounds interesting.  I’ll be sure to go, right, Tsuna?”  Yamamoto turned to Tsuna with a big smile.

“Y-yeah.”  It felt strange to be the center of attention at school.  I got a message.  ‘Stop being nervous.  It’s pissing me off.’  It was Xanxus.  I must have bothered him.

“Who’s that?”  Kyoko asked. 

“A friend.” 

“Really?  Do you have a boyfriend?  Was that him?”  She pressed.

“It’s just a friend.”  Kyoko wasn’t convinced and kept humming happily.  “Is your friend going?”  She asked.

“I don’t know.” 

“What a lame boyfriend.”  I sighed heavily and went back to my seat.  School is tiring.

The rest of the week went fine.  Soon, it was our last dress rehearsal.  Kiyomi and I had a little thing where we’d both lay on the ground backstage holding hands.  Some other joined in where we had the main cast involved.  That and the cold floor helped us clear our minds.

“We’ll do just fine.”  Kiyomi said, snuggling into me. 

“We will.”  I snuggled into her shoulder. 

“Alright!  Let’s get the last dress rehearsal going.”  The director said, clapping his hands a few times.

We all got up, already dressed in our outfits.  We all went through the play with no trouble.  I was still told to give an even better scream for the real thing.  I’ll have to really come up with the most desperate scream I could muster.  I’ll probably lose my voice.  I got a call from Lussuria just as I was gathering my things.  Before I could even speak, Lussuria started talking.

“We’re here!”  He said happily.

“Huh?!” 

“We’re all here taking a vacation for a few weeks.” 

“Really?” 

“Are you in the middle of rehearsing?”  He asked.

“We just got done.” 

“Let’s meet up soon.  We’ll be at the bakery from last time.” 

“O-okay.”  I ended the call and took my costume off.  I then hurried up to put my own clothes on. 

“What’s the rush?”  Kiyomi asked. 

“I have friends visiting Tokyo and they just arrived.” 

“Have fun.”  Kiyomi rubbed the top of my head how a big sister would. 

“I will.” 

When I left, I quickly walked all the way to the bakery.  Bel was standing outside, looking around.  He saw me and smiled.  “It’s about time you arrived.”  He said.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”  We went inside where I saw everyone else at a table.  Even Dino was there. 

“Shiori!”  Lussuria jumped up and hugged me tightly, lifting me off the ground. 

“It’s nice to see you again, Lussuria.  Can you not crush me to death?”  He giggled and put me down.  I took a deep breath.  I sat down with a sigh. 

“How was rehearsal?”  He asked. 

“It went really well.  I might end up losing my voice after the play.” 

“Why?”  He asked.

“You’ll see why.  I’ll be the very last thing you hear.” 

“You have the spot light at the end?”  Bel asked. 

“It’s more like the last twenty minutes that includes a twelve minute song.”  I slammed my head onto the table and groaned. 

“It must be tough.  You’re going from no attention to all the attention.”  Lussuria rubbed my back. 

“It’s not like I hate it.  You won’t be able to recognize me at all which is nice.” 

“Will you tell us what you look like?”  Levi asked me. 

“I’m the last person you’ll see at the end of the first half.” 

“You seem like an important character.”  Dino said cheerfully. 

“Unfortunately, it goes a lot deeper than just being an important character.” 

When Shiori banged her head on the table, Dino could see the beginning of a scar.  It shouldn’t have shocked him after vaguely being told what she went through.  This was probably what she meant.  Squalo kicked him under the table.  He shot Dino a look.  Xanxus noticed and looked between the two and then Shiori. 

“Why don’t you go order something?  I’m sure you’re hungry.”  Dino suggested.  Shiori picked up her head. 

“I’ll just leave and get food.  It’ll be cheaper.” 

“Will you be back after?”  Bel asked. 

“Of course.  I’ll bring the food here.”  Once Shiori left, everyone was glaring at Dino. 

“What the hell is going on?”  Squalo asked dangerously. 

“I don’t know what you’re referring to.”  Dino nervously replied.

“You looked at Shiori and then winced.” 

“Did she get hurt?”  Xanxus asked. 

“No!  It’s…something she vaguely told me about.  She made me promise not to tell anyone.”  Dino said, standing his ground.  He was being cornered and felt like he’d die with one wrong answer.

“Can’t you give us any hints?”  Squalo asked. 

“No.” 

“Does it have to do with her hair?”  A woman walked over to the group of men. 

“Who are you?”  Squalo questioned.

“I’m Kiyomi.  I happen to be Shiori’s co-star and the main role of the play.”  She glared at Dino.  “Answer.” 

“I don’t know, but when she talked about it, she’d grab her hair.”  He explained.

Kiyomi sighed.  “I see.” 

“What do you see?”  Levi questioned her. 

“She looks beautiful with long hair but refuses to grow it long after an incident happened.  She instantly shut herself down when I asked.”  Kiyomi said quietly.

The entire Varia had a bad feeling.  Some, specifically Squalo and Xanxus, were already getting angry.  Shiori walked back with a bag of food.  “Why is everyone angry?  Kiyomi?  Did you say something?”  Kiyomi pinched Shiori’s cheeks. 

“Why would I say something?”  She asked playfully.

“It’s like you to do that.”  Shiori said. 

Kiyomi laughed and hugged Shiori.  “You’re just too adorable.”  Shiori instantly warmed up to Kiyomi. 

“Shut up.”  Shiori commented.

“You’ll be even more beautiful during the play.  I’m expecting a lot out of the witch of miracles.” 

“It’ll be a miracle if I can go through with it all.”  Kiyomi laughed and left the bakery.  Shiori looked at the men and then glared at Dino.  “Did you say something?”  She asked.

“I didn’t!” 

“You were too quick to answer.”  Dino paled.  With Shiori and the Varia questioning him, he was in a corner. 

“Dino was looking at you with a weird look.  That’s why we’re angry.”  Squalo said.  They all saw Shiori fix her shirt.  She was definitely hiding something. 

“Stop staring and you’ll live.”  Shiori said quickly.

“I’ll stop.”  Dino said.  Xanxus could feel the uneasiness she felt.  She was scared of something.  “Are you going home tonight?”  Dino asked her. 

“I don’t know.  With how things are, I’m not sure what’ll happen.”  Xanxus remembered the conversation very well.  He made a promise that even surprised him, but he meant it.  If it’ll keep Shiori safe, he’ll put her in the Varia’s headquarters for the rest of her life. 

Why was Xanxus staring right at me?  Why was it so intense?  It was uncomfortable.  I looked at him and tilted my head.  He looked right away.  I gave a small yawn.  I didn’t realize how tired I really was.  “Are you tired?”  Levi asked.

“The play is four hours long.  What do you think?” 

“Why don’t you go home?”  Dino suggested. 

“I’ll try.  I’m not sure if I could even enter.”  I’m not sure if I could face my mom. 

“We’ll go and if you can’t go home, we’ll take care of you.”  Lussuria said. 

“If you want to be idiots, go ahead.”  And as the idiots they are, they all started following me.  It’s not like I expected anything different.  The train ride was quiet.  When I got home, I got to the door.  They were still yelling.  Xanxus walked up behind me and could hear them. 

“She’s useless!  Stop trying to change my mind!”  When will they stop fighting?

“Shiori is far from useless.”  Dad said.  I haven’t heard him this angry before.

“I just want to start over.  If she wasn’t in the picture, I’d stay.” 

“I’m not abandoning my daughter.”  Dad spoke with passion.

“Suit yourself.” 

Xanxus put his hands over my ears so I wouldn’t hear.  In a way, I was grateful I couldn’t hear anything.  A sense of serenity washed over my body.  That warm feeling washed over me like a blanket.  Once the warm feeling left my body, I felt comfortable enough to go inside.  Xanxus took his hands away.  I opened the door, surprising my parents. 

“Shiori?”  They both stammered out. 

“I’m home.” 

“Who are these people?”  Mom asked me. 

“Friends.” 

“I’m surprised.  I thought you didn’t have friends.”  Mom said, hiding her real self.

It’s about time, isn’t it?  “Surprise.”  I said with no emotion.  Dad walked to me. 

“You shouldn’t stay here, Shiori.” 

“Can I at least gather some clothing?”  He nodded.  Xanxus was the only one that followed me to my room.  I closed the door and let out a sigh. 

“She’s vile.”  Xanxus spat.

“I know.”  I said quietly.  I got a bag and took all my clothes and put them inside.  There was still room, so I got a few more things.  I stayed sitting, just staring at the wall.  It was nice to hear nothing from them.  Xanxus got down put a hand on my back to comfort me.

“I’ll take care of you.” 

I leaned into his arm.  “Even if I’m broken?”  I asked, putting a shirt in my bag.

“Did your mother say that?”  I nodded, feeling my eyes water.  I shouldn’t cry over this.  He wrapped his arm around my shoulders.  I didn’t understand why he was doing this, but I felt safe.  I haven’t felt this way in years.  I didn’t care if it was embarrassing.  Xanxus knew I was slowly losing my composure.  The door burst open.  Squalo ran in.

“VOI!”  He stopped and stared at us.  “W-what are you two doing?” 

“Leave.”  Xanxus demanded. 

“Everyone is getting suspicious.  Let’s go before Lussuria tries something.”  I stood up with my bag.  I left with the two behind me. 

“That took awfully long.”  Mom said. 

“I was looking for something.”  I responded.

“Are you sure?”  She asked, trying not to be her real self.

“I’m sure.”  Dad looked at me with dread and regret.  Mom didn’t look at me.  “I’m sorry for being a broken idiot.”  This left everyone in the room shocked before I left. 

I didn’t care at this point.  I just wanted to take a hot shower.  “We’ll go to the hotel I’m staying at.  The entire floor is booked.  You’re all free to stay.”  Dino said. 

“We’ll take it.”  Squalo said.

At the hotel, Xanxus forced me to stay with him.  “Don’t do anything too bad.”  Lussuria teased. 

I didn’t even react like I should have.  I didn’t react at all.  It worried him, but he let me be.  I took a shower in hopes it’d help.  After I was out, Xanxus went in.  I stared at myself in the mirror.  My hair was starting to get long.  I immediately grabbed the scissors I packed and started to trim my hair after getting dressed.  It became a habit of mine.  Xanxus walked out. 

“What are you doing?”  He asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” 

He took the scissors out of my hands.  He then started to cut my hair for me.  I was surprised he knew what he was doing.  When he was done, he put the scissors down.  Dino then walked in with dinner.  His face turned red.  Xanxus was still in a towel. 

“W-what’s going on?” 

“He’s trimming my hair.”  I pointed out the obvious.

“W-well, dinner is here.”  Dino said, putting two plates down.

“Thank you, Dino.” 

He left as fast as he could, slamming the door behind him.  There were two large plates full of food.  I wasn’t as hungry as I thought.  The words mom spat did this to me.  She was going to break me.  After Xanxus got dressed, we sat at the table and ate.  It was quiet, but I appreciated it.  Squalo came in without knocking.  He had dessert. 

“Why do I feel like I came in at a bad time?”  He asked himself.  We were just eating.  “Are you alright?  You’d be finished by now.”  Squalo said after looking at my half-full plate. 

“I lost my appetite.” 

“Was it your mom?”  He asked.  I nodded and sighed.  “Did it also have to do what you said before you left?”  I nodded again.  “Why did your mom call you broken?”  Squalo asked. 

“My body is broken because I was an idiot.  It’s my fault.”  I spoke in a monotone like fashion.

“What happened?”  Xanxus asked me. 

“I…can’t talk about it.”  I tugged at my hair out of habit.

“Is there anything we can do to help?”  Squalo asked me.

“Don’t ask me about what happened.  I hate myself over it.  Too many people already know.  They all saw.”  Xanxus shot Squalo a look I couldn’t make out.

“We won’t ask anymore.”  Squalo put a hand on top of my head.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.  Get some rest.”  Once Squalo left, I let out a deep breathe.  There was a small piece of cake on the table.

“Eat it.”  Xanxus said, pushing it towards me.

“I can’t.”  Not even cake will help me in this situation.

“Don’t you remember?  Once that family is dealt with, you’re coming home with me.  This town will be a distant memory.”

“I know, but it still hurts.  I never knew my mom would think of me like that.  I knew some people would, but not her.”

“Go lay down.  I’ll take care of everything.”


	10. Chapter 10

Hello and thank you so much for supporting For the Sake of Normalcy.  There have been some confusion about some things and I wanted to clear that confusion up.

1) Xanxus' and Shiori's weird connection.  This is because Xanxus' flame is inside of Shiori.  He doesn't really know how to use his flame for anything other than destruction.  So, I decided to take some creative freedom and make a 'feeling sensor' type of ordeal.

2) I purposely made Shiori older than Tsuna and the others on purpose so she fits in with the Varia more.  There is a reason why, even though she took advanced classes, she's in middle school.  

3) I'm sorry if I confused anyone when talking about the Hibari brothers.  I will definitely it more distinguishable in future chapters.

Hopefully, this clears up some things.  Again, thank you for every read, favorite, follow, and comment.  It means a lot.  Now, onto what everyone really came for.

 

* * *

 

Dino and Squalo decided to go check on Shiori the next morning. They knocked but there was no sound. They quietly walked in and stopped in their tracks at the scene in front of them. The two looked at each other and then the bed. Shiori was being engulfed by Xanxus. How did that happen?

"W-what is going on?" Squalo stammered out.

"You tell me. You're Xanxus' right hand." Dino said in a whisper.

"I don't know what goes through his head. I didn't think this would happen."

"They look comfortable." Dino said with a smile.

"Shiori has school, but I don't want to die." Squalo said, looking at Dino.

"I'm not waking him up." The two were grumbling about who would be the brave soul to wake Xanxus.

"Get the hell out." A groggy, angered voice echoed. The two looked at Xanxus who was awake.

"Shiori has school." Squalo said.

"She doesn't now."

The two saw Xanxus raise his gun. They ran right out the room. Xanxus grumbled before relaxing again. Those idiots won't bother them for a while. Shiori made a noise and woke up. "Go back to sleep." She turned and snuggled into his chest. He couldn't help but hold her closer. There was a voice in the back of his head telling him to protect her with his life. He didn't understand it himself, but he didn't hate it. He slowly closed his eyes and gasped when he found himself in a weird place.

The sky was black and the ground was covered in white flowers. His eyes widened. Mammon told him about this place. How did he get into Shiori's mind? Xanxus walked around until he saw Shiori. She was lying on the ground with her hands intertwined together. He saw the red scarf on her neck. Surprisingly, her hair was long and slowly became red at the tips. The flowers hid most of her body. However, he could see how her skin was red. He knelt down to her and moved the collar of her shirt down. It was all red. He cupped her cheek, seeing his own hand, red where a scar resided.

"What happened to you?" Her eyes opened. They were red.

"I'm surprised you were able to come into Shiori's mind, boss." Mammon floated over to him.

"How the hell did this happen?" Xanxus asked.

"It probably has to do with your flame still in her body." Mammon saw Shiori with her eyes open. "Did you end up touching her?"

"Was I not supposed to?"

"It isn't a bad thing. Her flame will come back at full force soon. You just sped up that process." Mammon explained.

"Will her flame kill her?"

"There's a possibility. Because of how destructive her flame is, the probability of her flame killing her is even greater."

"Is there anything to keep it at bay?"

"Keep giving her your flame. It's been working so far."

When I woke up, I was alone. I looked at the time and sighed. There was no point in going to school. I finished getting dressed just as Squalo walked in. "Feeling better?"

"I am. Thank you."

"Let's go get something to eat. Everyone else left."

"They could have woken me up."

"Xanxus told everyone not to wake you up or else."

I shook my head with a sigh. "Don't listen to him." Squalo didn't seem to like that answer. I followed him out of the hotel. "Where did everyone go?" I asked.

"They had business in Tokyo to take care of."

"Oh. So, where are you taking me?" I asked.

"Breakfast." I hummed with anticipation. I didn't really eat anywhere in Namimori. Squalo led me all over the place. He probably didn't know where to eat.

"Are you lost?" I asked as we stopped in the alley way. "Squalo?" He turned and faced me with a serious, almost dangerous stare.

"What did Xanxus promise you?" Squalo questioned.

"Huh?"

"The last time you spoke on the phone with him, he promised you something. What was it?"

"He said I could go to Italy with him permanently after I deal with that family. Dino even offered something similar. What does this have to do with anything?" I questioned.

"What if I told you he was a bad person? He's just as bad as the family that's after you." I tilted my head. "What if everything you knew wasn't the truth? What if we were lying to you?" Squalo asked another similar question.

"It'd depend on why you were lying to begin with. Doesn't everyone have something to hide?" Squalo was hesitating to speak. Was he trying to make me stay away from them? "Are…you trying to tell me to stay away?" I asked.

"No. That's not what I'm doing. It'd be the last thing I'd want."

"What is it then?" I questioned, even more confused.

"If being friends with us put a target on your back, would you still go to Italy? It could mean life or death for you." I guess I didn't have to guess what kind of business they do. That'd mean Dino was part of it as well. I knew this would be an outcome, but I chose to ignore it. I can't ignore it anymore.

"I don't know." I answered.

"Just think about it. I don't want to see you hurt in any way. I'd have to kill anyone who would. Xanxus would too. He's just not thinking things through."

"Didn't his dad say something to him about it? Being around me would get me hurt." I said with a hint of sadness.

"That's right."

I frowned. "What about you?" I asked him.

"What do you mean?"

"If you learn the truth about me, would you still be able to stand me?" Squalo stared with wide eyes. "Even now, I can't trust you, Xanxus, or anyone else. I don't think I ever could. I guess more than my body is just broken." I stammered out quietly.

"I don't know what you mean by calling yourself broken, but that won't make us go away. We're tougher than you think." Squalo didn't like how Shiori kept quiet. It was unnerving. "Has Xanxus told you about his scars?" He asked.

"No. I asked and said that it was probably a flame could only do that damage." She replied with a monotone voice.

"Why do you think so?" He asked. She let out a lifeless laugh before lifting her sleeve up. Squalo's eyes widened. She had the same burn scars on her arms that Xanxus had all over his body. "What the hell?"

"My body will never go back to what it used to be." She said in a scarily low voice.

"Where did you get that scar from?"

"Those people gave it to me." She gave a frightening smile. It was starting to scare Squalo.

"Was it the family that's after you?"

She shook her head. "You should have seen it. All the Yakuza in Tokyo banded together to retrieve me." By now, Shiori's eyes were dulled.

"She isn't conscious anymore." Mammon came out from the shadows.

"What do you mean?" Squalo questioned.

"The trauma she endured is worse than I initially thought."

"Trauma? That's a nice way to call hell." Shiori spat.

"Now's our chance to learn what happened while she's not in control." Mammon urged Squalo to continue to ask questions.

"I don't want to ask." Squalo said.

"You want the real Shiori to say it, don't you?" Squalo nodded. "You're just like boss, Squalo. You're soft when it comes to Shiori. Were you kidnapped?" Mammon asked Shiori.

"I was kidnapped by a family that is no longer. I watched as all yakuza from Tokyo killed them. The way their faces were contorted while being killed made me sick. It made me so happy I puked." Squalo had enough and slapped Shiori.

When I came to, Squalo was staring at me with concern. "Squalo? What just happened?" I asked, holding my cheek. It stung.

"You lost is and started talking about the incident."

My eyes widened. "What did I tell you?"

"You showed me your arm where you were burned and said how the family that kidnapped you was killed."

My heart was racing. I couldn't help but panic. It was more than he needed to know. "Don't tell anyone."

"I wouldn't think of it. Besides, it should be you to tell us. It isn't my place."

"Thank you, Squalo." I stared at the ground. I was ashamed of myself. I haven't had an episode like that in a long time.

"Let's go eat. I'm sure everyone will be back by the time we're done."

"Okay."

Squalo could tell I was in a depressed mood. "Hey, cheer up. I won't think of you any less." Of course, he wouldn't. He didn't know the full story. After getting something small for breakfast, we went back to the hotel. Xanxus was beyond pissed off and glared at Squalo. I looked at Squalo and then Xanxus.

"What did you do?" Xanxus questioned Squalo. I'm sure Xanxus could feel I was having an episode or something like that.

"I didn't do anything!"

Bel walked over to us with a snicker. "You must have done something. I haven't seen Xanxus this mad before." He spoke to Squalo.

"Trash." Both Squalo and I tensed up.

"Not you, sweetie." Lussuria said to me from behind Xanxus. He stood up and walked to Squalo.

"Meeting, now."

Days passed and today was the day of the play. We've only been focusing on small parts here and there for the play. So, I wasn't needed much unless it was requested. Everyone decided to go to Tokyo with me to stay. Lussuria walked to the venue with me. "Nervous?" He asked.

"What do you think? My heart can't calm down." I held my hand over my heart. I haven't felt my heart beat like this before. I didn't like it.

"That's to be expected." I messaged my parents to see if they'll come. I knew dad would, but I'm not sure mom would. I'd be surprised if she did. I haven't been home to know what's been going on. "Don't worry. We know you'll do well."

"Why didn't everyone come now?" I asked.

"They're still getting ready. Plus, they're still mad at Squalo."

"Oh…"

We entered through a back door since the front was locked. The staff greeted me. I led Lussuria to the seating. Some of the orchestra members were going over their music with others, making last minute fixes. "Where's the best place to sit? I'll save everyone a seat." Lussuria asked.

I pointed at the middle. "There but keep right. I'm sure Xanxus would like an easy escape route."

Lussuria laughed. "You sure know him well."

"We're similar. It's where I'd want to sit. Plus, that's where Kiyomi said was the best place to watch the end."

"Shiori!" Sachiko and the rest of the club ran to me.

"What?" I questioned.

"C'mon! You need to get ready. Kiyomi is already in costume and wants pictures." Sachiko said. Her excitement was overflowing. It was more potent today than it was on any other day.

"I'll be there soon."

"Go have fun, Shiori." Lussuria said, waving at me. I was dragged to backstage where everyone was either in their costume or getting ready.

"There's our Bern." The writer rushed me to sit down as two women came and did my makeup and hair.

Twenty minutes later, I was put into my dress. I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. Kiyomi walked over. Her hair was up in a bun on the back of her head. "You look beautiful." She said softly, putting her arms around me.

"Look at you though. You're absolutely stunning." I commented.

"Aren't I?" I rolled my eyes. "There's a surprise waiting for you in the main hall." She said.

"There is?" I questioned.

"Let's go."

"Won't people see us?"

"No one can come in yet. It's just us that can access it." Kiyomi brought me to the main hall. I could see flowers everywhere. There were some for each member. We stopped at one with blue and white flowers. The arrangements were beautiful.

"This one is for you." Kiyomi said.

"Really? There are so many flowers." I felt like I was in a flower field with the amount of flowers in the hall.

"There are tags so you'll know who sent them."

"Can I look?" She nodded.

I walked right up and started looking. Some were from cast members. In fact, I got a flower from each member. Even the archery club got me a small bouquet. There was one from my class and even some from yakuza members which included Syoko. I then saw my dad's flower. I tried looking for one from my mom but alas, there was none. A staff member walked over with a large bouquet and placed it in my pile.

"W-what the hell?" I stuttered.

"Special delivery. A whole bunch of guys bought you this." I looked at the tag and saw Xanxus' name along with everyone else tucked in the very back. Those idiots.

"It's almost show time. They're going to start letting people in." Kiyomi said.

"I guess we go back and wait then?"

"That's right."

I sighed. "I don't want to go back there." I whined quietly.

"We'll play cards."

"That sounds fun. Can you teach me poker?"

We walked back just as they opened the doors. I could hear people's voices echo into the back. It made me feel even more nervous. Background music that fit the theme of the play played over the speakers. I peeked back out and saw men and women all dressed up. There were even students from school.

"Bad." Sachiko lightly chopped my head.

"I'm curious."

"Stop. You're the main part of the show. You can't just expose yourself like this. You're supposed to be shrouded with mystery." She said dramatically.

"I'm sorry." I walked back to where everyone else was. Kiyomi had gotten out the cards. Soon, I, Kiyomi, and two other main leads started to play poker. I wasn't really good, but I did end up winning some games. We were then whisked away with everyone else. The director and writer stood at the front with prideful smiles.

"We've worked for months to make this happen. I can't think of better people to be here."

"It's mostly thanks to Shiori." The lead male character said.

"Me?" I questioned.

"Without you, we'd have to cut the play down and cut Bern out. You made it really happen."

"Just take the compliment." Kiyomi teased.

"Alright, get ready, everyone. We have ten minutes. Places!" Everyone started moving as practiced. I was able to stay in backstage to see how the play went. Plus, seeing Kiyomi perform always made me forget about what was going on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you on behalf of the cast and witches." The announcer, who had a goat's head, was on the side telling the audience of all the information they needed.

Kiyomi rubbed my shoulders to calm me down, but it was probably secretly her way to calm herself down. She then walked up the stairs to the platform. Loud music came from the orchestra and large choir that were on the left and right balconies. They were all dressed up in Victorian clothing with Victorian masks. While the singing stopped, we could all hear Kiyomi's laughter against the orchestra. It was certainly witch like. The audience could see her silhouette flash a couple of times.

"Let the game begin! I'll make sure no one is alive!" Kiyomi shouted to the audience.

The song ended with her laugh. She walked down with a graceful smile as usual. Then, the story began with the background and its characters. They were the minor characters, but the audience didn't know that yet. Some won't realize it even after the play.

Lussuria waited for the rest of the Varia to come in the main hall after reserving seats. When they did, they were all wearing suits. "You're all looking handsome. What took you all so long?" Lussuria commented.

"The old man is here." Xanxus bitterly said.

"I'm surprised he came to see Shiori's performance." Levi commented. They all sat down.

"Lussuria, what did you spend that money I gave you on?" Mammon questioned.

"I got Shiori flowers." Mammon sighed but knew Xanxus wouldn't care.

Unbeknownst to the Varia, their future opponents were above them in the balconies. Tsuna wasn't used to wearing a suit but was forced to by Reborn. Kyoko was more than excited. Tsuna and his two guardians haven't gone to anything remotely similar like this before.

"Why are you nervous? You're not the one performing." Reborn teased.

"I-I've never gone to something like this before. I feel out of place." Tsuna said.

Dino smiled at him. "You'll be fine. You're just here for the extra credit."

Reborn smacked Dino. "We're seeing a play created by a legendary writer and director. The fact your classmate got a part means she has unbelievable talent."

"Really? I wonder what Shiori's part will be." Dino questioned.

"You know her?" Everyone asked.

"I do. She's the one that helped me find the street you lived on. Since then, I'd meet her for coffee when I'd come to Japan."

"That's dangerous, Dino." Reborn said.

Nono was more than ecstatic to see the play and more importantly, to see Shiori. His guardians went to watch a legendary play. They didn't know Shiori was going to partake in the play. Nono saw his son who wasn't as angry as usual. He seemed to be at peace. It seemed like the two of them made up after all. Lussuria saw Nono and smiled. The plan was in full swing.

"Please don't tell me you're still going through with trying to get Shiori and Xanxus to marry. You have that smile whenever you think about that." Nono's storm guardian said.

"Why wouldn't I go through with it? They're perfect together. Let this old man play matchmaker." Nono said.

"She'll end up dead."

They heard a chuckle above them. They all turned and saw a man with pitch black hair, wearing an elaborate kimono. "Yes?" Nono questioned.

"Would you happen to be talking about the Shiori who is also a main character in this play?" He questioned.

"I am."

"And who is this man you want her to marry?" The man asked.

"He's my son."

"Red eyes?" They got suspicious of the man.

"Do you know Shiori?" Nono asked.

"Of course. It's hard for someone of my status not to know her." The man sneered.

"Shut up." He was hit over the head by Syoko.

"I forgot you were coming, mother." Syoko's son said.

"It's my little Shiori." She turned to Nono. "If your son is the one with red eyes, I think they're cute together. She's used to rough characters as you can see."

"Even though she might be in danger marrying him?" Nono's storm guardian asked her.

"Just because you're a mafia family doesn't mean my Shiori can't handle it. She's been through hell and back. In fact, she was the reason why an entire yakuza family perished in one night." Syoko said all too happily.

Nono wouldn't have thought Shiori would know any yakuza. "Really? Did she happen to fight?" He asked.

"No. She was kidnapped and given the special treatment."

Syoko's son visibly tensed and shook with anger. "I wished I was able to take that bastard's head. I wish I was the one." He spoke with hatred.

"She was put through inhumane things down there. It surprised me she lived after the many surgeries she endured. In fact, she should have died with those wounds." Syoko said quietly.

"She was tortured?" Nono questioned.

"That's too nice." Syoko then chuckled. "I still can't help but see her when she was just a kid. She had beautiful long hair and the eyes of an adventurer. She was so innocent and now, her eyes are dulled. She did come to life when she brought your son and his friends in. It's the first time I've seen her like that in years. So, if your son ends up marrying her, it'll be good for both of us." Syoko said with mischievous eyes.

"You can't make business transactions by yourself. Dad said you'd end us." Syoko's son said.

Syoko smacked her son again. "I'm sorry about my son. He doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."

"That's fine." Nono turned back and thought about the new information about Shiori. What could she have possibly gone through that's worse than torture?

When the play started, everyone stayed quiet. Though, Xanxus was always an impatient man. Squalo could sense it but kept his eyes on the play. It was captivating enough where even assassins wouldn't move a muscle. Almost two hours have passed. They were all starting getting impatient. Even Dino was wondering when Shiori would come out. The curtains closed and the lights went out. Music played in between scenes. The curtain opened. Sitting in the white room in the other world was a girl with long blue hair. She took a sip of her tea.

"Plum tea…it's quite expensive for each serving." She lifted her cup up in the air. "Would you like some?" Golden butterflies appeared which transported Kiyomi onto the stage. Mammon could easily see through the illusion but didn't for the sake of the play.

"What business could the legendary with Bern have with me?" Everyone's eyes widened. That was Shiori.

"I'm merely a traveling witch. I didn't come here with the intent of invading your territory." Shiori spoke.

"Oh?" The orchestra started playing a different song.

"And I would be completely powerless against the witch who holds the terrifying power to kill an individual endlessly. Don't worry." Shiori's voice was different than usual, but it was something Squalo heard when she lost control.

"And yet this powerless witch dislodged Lady Lambda, the cruel and terrifying great witch capable of killing an individual without fail." Kiyomi said.

"I merely won an endurance contest. She simply grew tired of it." Shiori replied.

"However, you possess the power to make a miracle as long as the probability isn't zero." Kiyomi said and sat down in the chair beside Shiori.

"Both of your powers are frightening." Shiori commented. It made Kiyomi laugh in response. "I'm a fleeting traveler, continually moving between the fragments while running away from boredom. I came simply because I heard you had started something interesting. Have no doubt I will leave as soon as it's no longer interesting." Shiori finished her line.

Kiyomi smirked at Shiori from the side. "I, Beatrice, am most delighted to have the great Lady Bern as an observer. And your thoughts?" Kiyomi asked.

Shiori turned to her tea. "While you do appear to possess affection at a glance, I can't understand you at all. That makes you frightening." Shiori said.

Kiyomi laughed again. "Yes, a witch is truly the best kind of person to drink tea with. I'll never get bored."

"Boredom is the only poison that can kill witches. So, please don't kill me, okay, Lady Beatrice the endless witch."

"If that is what you desire, then I shall entertain you even further. Please wait a moment." After Kiyomi spoke, she dissipated into golden butterflies. The attention was all on Shiori.


	11. Chapter 11

Everyone waited for Shiori to speak.  The tension was killing them.  She just sipped her tea before looking straight ahead into the audience.  “Someone troublesome seems to have taken a liking to you too.  However, I do feel sorry for you, so I’ll help you out a bit.”  She closed her eyes and turned her head a little.  “But don’t get the wrong idea.  I don’t intend on becoming your ally.  I plan on enjoying this endless tale that Beatrice is going to weave until I tire of it.  That’s why I’ll lend you my power.  It’s all so I don’t tire of this.”  She picked her cup up.  “I am the cruelest witch in the world.  I will make any opponent of mine surrender without fail.  Even if that opponent if the endless witch Beatrice.”  She looked at the audience again.  “That’s why you must do your best as well.  Don’t bore me okay?”  Her voice taunted the audience.  She then laughed in the same fashion as Kiyomi as the lights turned off.  When they came back on, the curtain was closed.  Xanxus felt a chill go down his spin.  It was different than the Shiori he was used to. 

Kyoko was just so awestricken with Shiori.  “That was Shiori, Tsuna!  The way she spoke sent chills down my spine.  It was as if she was talking right to my soul.”  Kyoko said with stars in her eyes.

Reborn was even happy with Shiori’s performance.  This was probably why she got the part.  Everyone got up from their seat for intermission.  Nono walked over to the Varia.  “What do you want?”  Xanxus asked.

“I’d like to speak to you about Shiori.”  This caught everyone off guard. 

“Why?” 

“We just need to talk.  It’s important.”  Xanxus stood up and followed his dad to a quiet place in the main hall. 

“Is there something wrong with her?”  Xanxus asked.  

Nono smiled at his son’s question.  “She’s fine.  Do you see her as part of the Varia in the future?” 

“No.” 

“Not as an officer, Xanxus, but as someone who just lives there.” 

Xanxus scoffed.  “Get to the point.” 

“I wanted to apologize about what I told you back in Osaka.” 

“Why?  You were right.  I’d get her killed.”  Xanxus said.

Nono shook his head.  “I talked with some people who know Shiori very well.  Apparently, you met one of them.  I guess what I’m saying is you shouldn’t be worried about her safety if she stays with you.” 

Xanxus turned to his dad.  “And if she dies because a rival family wants to get back at us?  At me?  What then?” 

“You need to tell her about the mafia.”  Nono urged.  Xanxus knew he was right, but what if she wouldn’t face them again?  What would he do?  Squalo walked over. 

“Boss?”  Squalo questioned.

“What do you want?” 

“I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation.”  Squalo answered honestly.

“So?”  Xanxus questioned.  He wasn’t in the best of moods.

“You promised her something, didn’t you?”  Squalo said, knowing exactly what that promise was.

“Did she tell you?”  Xanxus asked.  Nono looked between the two.

“She did.  I asked her myself.  I even asked if she’d go if we weren’t what she thought.” 

Xanxus glared at Squalo.  “Why the hell did you ask her that?” 

“You need to tell her.”  Squalo said.

“I can’t.” 

“Ask yourself this, idiot.  How did she know you were burned with a flame instead of asking what happened?  Why do you think that?”  Squalo questioned.

Nono understood immediately and he could see Xanxus understood as well.  He sighed and held his head.  This was too much for him.  He couldn’t think straight.  Telling her and not telling her would result in her getting mad at him anyway.  There was no good way to tell her.  “What are you doing here?”  They all turned and saw Reborn.  He was looking directly at Xanxus.

“We came to see the play.  How are you, Reborn?”  Nono asked, flipping his personality to a cheerful one. 

“I’m well.”  He looked at Xanxus and Squalo.  “You two never crossed my mind as men who enjoyed things like this.” 

“Lussuria and I dragged them along.  How do you like the play so far, Reborn?”  Nono asked, covering for the Varia. 

“It’s wonderful as usual.  I must say, my student’s classmate has captured everyone’s attention.” 

“Really?  What character are they?”  Nono asked.

“She’s Bern the witch of miracles.” 

“Ah!  She’s certainly a mysterious character.  Though, she seems perfect for the role.” 

“That’s what I thought.”  They all heard a crash and then a scream.  Reborn sighed.  “I’ll make sure that wasn’t my student.” 

When he left, Squalo put his attention on Nono.  “Why did you cover for us?”  He asked quietly. 

“No one but us needs to know of Shiori’s involvement.” 

Xanxus growled at Nono.  “She isn’t involved.” 

“She will be.”  Nono said.

“She won’t.  I won’t allow it.” 

Nono frowned.  “What if it’s inevitable?  What will you do then?”  He asked.  Xanxus just stayed silent.  “If she learns anything about the mafia and your involvement, I want it to come from your mouth.  She trusts your word over anyone else’s.”  Nono left the two and went to get a snack.  Squalo just stared at his boss. 

“Leave.”  Xanxus demanded.

“But…” 

“Go.” 

Squalo left to give him room.  Xanxus didn’t want to tell Shiori.  She’d never stand him anymore.  She’d detest him like everyone else.  He had to shake it off.  He went back to his seat.  He never let something like this bother him before.  Why is this different?  The Varia knew something happened but didn’t say a word.  Nono looked over and knew he messed up again.  “Don’t worry about it, boss.” Nono’s storm guardian said.

“I can’t help it.  He looks lost.  I’ve never seen him like this before.” 

“He’ll be fine.” 

“What if he won’t be?”  Nono questioned.

“He got over the first funk, didn’t he?  I’m sure everything will be alright between then.”  Everyone got back to their seats.  The lights abruptly turned off.  The curtain rose, showing the other world where the main characters were debating.  Shiori wasn’t able to be seen. 

Nono enjoyed the debate but was waiting impatiently for Shiori to come onto stage.  When she did, everyone’s hearts skipped a beat.  She hardly spoke, but when she did, it was cold.  It was then just Shiori and Kiyomi on stage.  “Are you bored yet, Bern?” 

“This game is certainly interesting.  Have you been holding back?”  Shiori asked.

Kiyomi laughed.  “I should have known the great Lady Bern would see through me.”  Shiori eyed Kiyomi dangerously. 

“What?”  Shiori questioned.

“You’ll see.  Though, I do have one question for you.”  Shiori put her tea down.  Kiyomi stood up and walked over to Shiori.  “Who are you?”  Kiyomi vanished, leaving an angered Shiori. 

“Who am I?”  Shiori began to laugh.  “I am no other than Bern the witch of miracles!  I’m the cruelest in the world!”  She took a few deep breaths.  “Or…am I?”  Her voice was small and empty.  “It’s no matter.  I am who I am now.  There have been so many versions of me in each fragment.  There must be thousands of me somewhere.  Some are dead.  I know that.  I’ve seen it.  I’ve felt it all.” 

“Bern?”  The main character walked out. 

“Yes?”  Shiori sounded as if nothing had happened.

“A-are you alright?  You’re talking to yourself and you have this scary look on your face.” 

Shiori sighed.  “I can assure you I’m fine.  Shouldn’t you be preparing against Beatrice?”  She questioned.

“I’ll be fine.”  The main character said with a bright smile.

“Poor sheep.  Your ambition is large, but you will surely fail.” 

He gave Shiori a goofy smile.  “I won’t fail.  There’s no way.” 

Everything was going well.  Kiyomi made sure to reassure me of my ability.  Backstage, I waited for my next scene.  It was a song.  It’d be my first song I’d sing in front of everyone.  Everyone could tell I was nervous.  The extras in the play were trying to help me calm down.  However, it wasn’t until Kiyomi walked to me did I feel better. 

“You’re nervous.”  She said.  I nodded.  She put her hands on my shoulders.  “The only thing that you will see is darkness.  You won’t see anyone else.” 

“I know that.” 

“I’ll cast my magic as the endless witch that you’ll successfully perform beautifully.”  I kept my gaze on the ground.  Sure, it helped me a little bit, but it didn’t ease my stomach. 

“Shiori, please get ready.”  I grasped my stomach.  My nerves made me physically hurt.

Kiyomi walked to the stage with me.  She smiled gently in hopes of calming me down.  I was shaking the entire time when I waked up the stairs.  The curtain closed.  That was my cue.  I walked to the middle of the stage and sat on my knees, hunched over, looking at my hands.  My side faced the audience.  This was it.  The curtain opened.  A bright light beamed on my back. 

“Who…am I?”  I questioned weakly.  “I’m Bern the witch of miracles, but…”  I let out a small chuckle.  “I’m not supposed to feel these emotions.  I’m not human.” 

“You could be.”  A whisper spoke.  It came from the audience.

“That’s impossible!” 

“It isn’t impossible.”  The voice whispered.

I looked at the audience.  “Who’s there?  Show yourself!”  Yet, no one showed.  I put a hand over my left eye.  “I’m the world’s cruelest witch and yet here I am…”  I trailed off before laughing louder than before.  I could feel the madness Bern would have felt.  I let it take over.  I stood up with a cracked smile.  “As the witch of miracles, I hereby declare that…” 

My mic cut off on purpose as I spoke the rest.  The music started playing.  Goat men were walking onto the stage.  One started dancing with me while the rest danced with one another.  That was when I began to sing.  When I went to each goat to dance, the previous one would combust into nothing but a corpse.  Its blood covered my body.  When they were all dead, I sung the rest of the song which consisted of a single sentence, spinning in the middle of the stage like a ballerina.  The song was over, but the orchestra kept playing the song softly.  I kept spinning, cackling to myself. 

“Look!  Look what I did!  Isn’t it beautiful?”  I suddenly stopped mid-spin with a frown.  “Did you pigs really think I’d sacrifice good furniture for your pleasure?”  I scoffed at them.  “Pigs like you don’t know better.  It’s why we have goats.”  I spoke with disgust, as if I was looking at trash.  The lights turned off which was my cue I was done with the scene. 

Kiyomi was proud of Shiori.  She killed her song and did better than any of the times she practiced it.  Everyone backstage cheered after the performance.  They could all see how nervous Shiori was.  Knowing how good she did with this performance set the stage for the rest of the play.  This was why Shiori was picked to be Bern.  Reborn knew from seeing the author’s other plays that this was the real reason Shiori was casted.  It wasn’t how she captured Bern’s personality.  Any good actress can do that.  Not many could capture the insanity of Bern.  The entire Varia couldn’t keep their eyes of Shiori.  It made them feel on edge.  The way she spun perfectly made her seem innocent, but the blood that covered her reminded everyone of what she did.  Even the way she spoke to the audience made everyone feel off.  It especially affected Xanxus.  Squalo knew immediately and looked over at him.  Xanxus was gripping his seat, his leg shaking.  Nono could feel how uncomfortable everyone in the theatre was.  This was the bloodiest of plays that’s ever been produced and written by the writer and producer.  To make matters worse, most of the blood covered Shiori. 

“Mother.”  Syoko’s son said quietly.

“We’ll check on her after.”  She replied.

Nono knew he’d have to check up on her after as well.  Being covered in blood probably brought her back to that place. 

Backstage, I was rushed into a costume change.  I had four costumes as backups because of how many times I’d get the dress dirtied.  It didn’t bother me since it was only special effects.  I quickly changed and ran back to the stage where I’d sit and help the main protagonist win against Kiyomi in their game of wits.  It was boring for me, but it was important in the long run to have me on stage. 

“What do you think, Lady Bern?  Is it plausible the lock was faulty?”  Kiyomi asked.  We were in the middle of discussing the closed room mystery.  One of the protagonists died and it was my ally’s job to figure out how the murder took place without magic.  It was just one of many we encountered. 

“I’d call it a small miracle.”  I said with a chuckle, pissing Kiyomi off. 

“So, that’s the game you’re playing.”  She spat.

“I’m only helping your opponent because you’re too powerful for a human.  I guess I’ll take my leave for now.  You should take a break as well, Beatrice.  It isn’t like you to get angry like this.” 

“Watch what you do, Bern.  This is my game.”  Kiyomi warned. 

I disappeared from the scene and waited for another thirty minutes.  They were still battling on the stage.  It must be boring for the audience, but there was a reason why these battles were so long.  I looked at the clock.  There was about an hour left.  That meant I had the stage for the rest.  Sachiko rubbed my shoulders since she could see how stressed I was. 

“It’ll be fine.  You’ve killed everything else.  Just do what you’ve been doing and everything will be fine.”  She whispered.

Lussuria was getting excited.  He knew the end was coming.  With the end came Shiori’s final performance and the last thing they’d hear.  He kept squirming with anticipation.  Squalo glared at Lussuria.  His giddiness pissed Squalo off.  It was distracting him from the play.  The main protagonist was on stage alone. 

“Just a little more and I’ll finally get everyone back.  Things can go back to how they were.  I’ll finally have my family back.  I’ll be able to see my sister again.  I almost have Beatrice trapped.”  He spoke with hope.  Everyone would think they’d see the final debate.  There would be a happy ending.

“That’s what you think.”  Shiori said as she appeared.  She looked the same as usual. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Your family is dead.  Not even a miracle can bring them back.”  She said.

“That can’t be true!  What about me?  I’m alive.”  He shouted, putting a hand over his heart.

“It’s true.  And you?  You’ve been dead for twelve years.”  His eyes widened.  Shiori’s demeanor was starting to change. 

“That…doesn’t make sense!” 

“You’ve spent twelve years here because of a promise you forgot.  You’re awfully gifted at seeing the faults of situations, but you can’t see them when they’re your own faults.  That’s why I never liked humans to begin with.”  Shiori said.

“I’m confused.” 

“Bern.”  Kiyomi appeared on stage with a dangerous glare. 

“What is it?”  Shiori asked.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on his side?  What kind of ally torments another?” 

“You’ve gotten awfully too close with him, haven’t you?  You’ve gotten weak, Beatrice.  The endless witch shouldn’t have an ounce of weakness.  Allow me to help you.”  In that instance, the man’s head popped right off, blood splattering everything, the head rolling to Kiyomi’s feet.  Kiyomi crouched down with disbelief and screamed from anger.  She was shaking.  All of Kiyomi’s servants were summoned.  “Unlike you, I have no attachments.  I don’t get hung up on what others feel, especially humans.  They’re meaningless to us, only there for our entertainment.”  Shiori said with a smirk.

“I’m the game master!  I have full control of this game!  He should not have died.”  Kiyomi shouted. 

Shiori laughed at her.  “Are you sure?” 

Kiyomi’s eyes widened.  “It can’t be possible…”  

“That’s right.” 

Kiyomi stood up, cradling the head in her arms.  “I’ll have you killed.”  Kiyomi declared with passion.

“Haven’t you been listening?  I already declared it earlier, Beatrice.” 

Kiyomi smiled as if she knew what to do.  “Tell me one thing, Bern.  Using your words of truth only you can use, who are you?” 

“I am…!”  Shiori couldn’t say it no matter how much she wanted to.  She grasped her neck.  Why couldn’t she say her name?

“That’s right!  You’re not the witch of miracles!  Are you even Bern?!  Is that even your name?” 

Shiori took a few steps back, holding herself.  Shiori wasn’t Bern?  Everyone in the audience questioned themselves.  “I am Bern.  I am the witch of miracles!” 

“Pitiful creature.  You’ve sunk too far into the abyss for me to return you to your original form.”  Kiyomi spoke with a calm voice. 

“Don’t pity me!”  The entire set became on fire.  It freaked everyone out.  “Where did this come from?”  Shiori questioned with anger and fear. 

“This is the only way for you to die, Bern, and I’m taking myself with you!”  Kiyomi started to burn from the fire engulfing her body.  Kiyomi made Shiori’s body fly into a wall.

“I won’t let you get the pleasure of watching me die!”  Shiori shouted, standing up.  She spointed her hand at Kiyomi.

Kiyomi’s head exploded.  Her blood sprayed like a geyser.  Shiori panted heavily.  The other servants were screaming from pain, falling onto the ground.  “Shut up!  Just die silently!”  Their bodies all exploded.  Their blood was all on Shiori. 

“I refuse to die.  I won’t die!” 

The entire stage went dark, but they could still hear the set breaking apart and the raging fire.  Everyone gasped.  They could hear Shiori singing in a quiet whisper.  It wasn’t like any other time she sang.  It had an innocent tone to it.  The lyrics broke everyone’s hearts.  The lights were on, albite dimmed.  They could see Shiori struggling to walk.  She was burned from the fire, but hardly alive.  There was a small break in the song.  Shiori didn’t speak.  She collapsed to her knees and stared at the audience and sung the rest of her song.  When the song finished, she gave a small smile before a large spike went through her chest, her body dangling in the air.  This was the moment everyone backstage was anticipating.  Shiori let out a desperate, pain filled scream.  Her body twitched as she kept screaming.  Her voice was getting quieter.  Her whole body stopped moving and relaxed.  The spike disappeared.  Shiori’s body fell to the ground.  The audience saw Kiyomi crawling with one arm to Shiori.  A single light beamed on the two.  Once Kiyomi got to Shiori, she sat up and took Shiori into her arms.  Kiyomi spoke something that no one could hear.  Tears ran down Kiyomi’s face onto Shiori.  The fire engulfed the two of them turning them into ash.  The lights went out, signaling the end of the play.

The ending made everyone in the audience want to scream.  The Varia wanted to rush down to Shiori, but they knew it was all an illusion.  It was a good one.  Lussuria was crying along with others in the audience.  Nono wiped his tears away.  Everyone stood with applause.  The lights came on.  The cast was coming out, bowing.  It first started off with the extras.  A song started playing to accompany the cast as they all walked out.  The more people that came out, the closer everyone was to seeing Shiori again.  Kiyomi and Shiori walked out together.  They were truly the main characters in this play.  The two bowed with grace.  Everyone cheered for them.  Kiyomi looked down at Shiori and said something.  Shiori spoke to her with a smile.  They all did a final bow before leaving the stage.  Nono turned and saw Syoko and her son behind him crying. 

“That was beautiful.  Little Shiori grew up.”  Syoko commented.

“She really did.”  Her song replied.

Kyoko was crying.  “That was beautiful.  I never thought I’d be crying this much.  Shiori was amazing!” 

“It really was.”  Reborn replied.  Tsuna felt empty.  He didn’t know what to think of the play.  He was so confused, so empty.  “This is what genius is, Tsuna.  You’ll never get it.”

“That’s not it.  I’m just…”  Tsuna couldn’t finish his sentence.  He didn’t know the right words for this.

“Empty?  Confused?”  Dino asked.  Tsuna nodded.  “I feel the same.” 

Kiyomi hugged me tightly as soon as we got backstage.  “We did it!”  We both cheered. 

“Your scream was top notch!  It was exactly what the director wanted and more!  It even broke my heart!”  Kiyomi said with excitement.

“I’m surprised too.  I’ve never been this satisfied with it.”  I said.  My heart kept beating with excitement. 

“Shiori!”  Sachiko ran up to me with tears running down her face.  “I hate and love you for making me cry!” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Go change and then we can celebrate with a feast.”  Kiyomi said while patting my back.

“Alright!”  I walked back to my room.

I knew Angelo had followed me.  I didn’t even start to change.  Angelo would still come in whether or not I was changing.  All I did was make it harder for him to take my clothing off.  I felt hands on my waist and cringed.  “I see you waited for me.  Did you want me to help you?”  Angelo whispered in my ear. 

“I was waiting for you, but it wasn’t for you to help me.”  I turned and glared at him.  He was smirking and brought up his hand to cup my cheek.

“Those eyes don’t suit you.  I’d rather see them full of fear and pleasure.”  He took a hold of my ribbon and tore it off.  I tried to attack his throat, but I unfortunately tripped and fell backwards.  My ankle burned with pain.  What a great time to roll my ankle.  Angelo didn’t waste a single second to get on top of me and between my legs.  “This is even better.”  The door was then broken.  I looked and was shocked. 

“Kaoru?”  I said with surprise.  What was he doing here?  My heart dropped when I saw Xanxus and Squalo.  Why were they here too?  I wanted to hide.  I didn’t want them to see me like this.  Anything but this. 

The lights of the theatre came on.  “Well, let’s go check on little Shiori.”  Syoko said happily.  She looked at Nono.  “You should come too.  I’m sure Shiori won’t mind.”  The three left the seating area.  Xanxus saw them and followed with Squalo.  They all saw Angelo go around a corner.  That didn’t bode well.  They could hear something in another room.  It sounded like a struggle.  The man broke the door as quickly as possible.  They all froze.  Angelo was above Shiori.  Her dress was being torn off. 

“What do you want?”  Angelo spat.

“Kaoru…”  Shiori spoke. 

“Get your hands off her!”  Kaoru demanded. 

“Why?”  Angelo asked. 

Xanxus and Squalo ran right in.  They looked beyond angry.  “Boys.”  The two turned to Syoko.  “Let my son take care of him.” 

“I wasn’t able to take that bastard’s head years ago, but yours will do.”  Kaoru said and looked at Shiori.  “I’ll take care of him.  There’s no need to worry.”  She nodded and instantly relaxed her body. 

Kaoru charged right for Angelo.  He tried to move, but Shiori kept him in place with her legs.  Kaoru pushed Angelo through the wall.  An audible snap was heard.  Shiori got on her knees and tried to get up.  “Did he hurt you?”  Kaoru asked.

“I tripped and hurt my ankle.  I was expecting him.” 

Kaoru took Angelo out of the wall.  He was unconscious.  “I’ll deal with him.”  Kaoru said with a smile.

“Please do.”  Shiori replied.

“When you’re done, I’d like to have a few minutes with this insect.”  Syoko spoke dangerously. 

“Don’t kill him, mother.  I get the pleasure of killing this flea.” 

“I guess it’s fair since I killed the other one.  I’ll give him my special.  After all, he tried to harm our Shiori.” Syoko said with no emotion.  It was unnerving.

Kaoru picked up Angelo.  “The last person who thought about harming Shiori died a painful death.  They were torn and eaten alive.  You, however, touched her with intent to harm her.  I’ll be kind and let you pick out how you want to die.”

Angelo spat in Kaoru’s face.  “Give me a quick death, coward.” 

Kaoru looked at Shiori.  “Would you like to have a word in this?” 

“Get him out of my face.”


	12. Chapter 12

Kaoru took Angelo out the room with his mother right beside him.  I wanted to feel bad for Angelo, but he did this to himself.  I had no pity or felt any sadness in regards to him.  Xanxus walked to my side and crouched down.  “Are you hurt?”  He asked.

“I just rolled my ankle, but it isn’t too bad.  That’s all.  It was my fault I fell.” 

He sighed from frustration.  “Did he hurt you?” 

“No.”  I answered.

“Don’t lie.” 

“I’m not.  I really did trip.”  I explained even though he wouldn’t really believe me.

He let out another sigh.  This one was different.  It wasn’t from irritation.  Timoteo walked over to me.  “I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”  He said with a smile.

“Thank you.” 

Why was he smiling like that?  It was just as uncomfortable as Xanxus’ stare the other day.  I stood up and fixed my dress.  “We’ll give you time to change.”  Timoteo said. 

He caught a small glimpse of where the ribbon was ripped.  I quickly covered the bare skin.  Once the three left and the door was closed, I took the dress off.  After dressing into regular clothing, I looked in the mirror.  I still had the wig and colored eye contacts in.  I played with the hair as if it was my own.  I really did miss how long my hair was.  I took the wig off and wig cap off and then the contacts.  I looked like me again.  After seeing myself as Bern for so long, it was strange to see me without everything on.  I made sure I was fully covered before exiting the room.  Surprisingly, the three were waiting for me. 

“Shiori!”  Kiyomi ran to me with panic.  She hugged me tightly.  “I just heard what happened.  Some old woman told me.” 

“I’m alright.  He didn’t hurt me.”  I said.

“I’m sorry.  I was trying to keep an eye on him.  He just disappeared all of a sudden and I lost track of him.”

“He’s taken care of now.”  She smiled and rubbed the top of my head.  She let go and looked at the three men and then at me.

“I’m sure you don’t want to come celebrate with us then.”  Kiyomi commented.

“Not really.  I want to go home and relax.” 

“I don’t blame you.  You worked really hard tonight.  I’ll let you go, but we will be going out for lunch just the two of us one of these days.” 

“Okay.”  Once she left, I looked at the three.  “Are you three going back to Italy?”  I asked them.

“We’re going with you.”  Squalo said. 

“Why?”  I asked as we started walking out.  They didn’t even answer me.  I was still confused.  I could see the lobby and my dad looking around impatiently.  Once we got in the lobby, dad saw me.  He ran and hugged me as tightly as he could.  “Dad?”  His hug was almost hurting me, but I didn’t mind.  I loved when dad hugged me like this. 

“You were beautiful.  I never thought I’d see my baby girl on stage like that.”  He said breathlessly.  He squeezed me tighter.  He was beaming with happiness.

“Thank you.”  I noticed the three men that were behind me stepped away to their own corner. 

“Shiori!”  I looked and saw Kyoko running to me.  A group of other students ran behind her.  Dad let me go and kept smiling.  “You were amazing!”  She said.

“Thank you.” 

“I never thought plain Jane could ever be so full of emotion.”  My classroom neighbor said with a hand over his heart, acting dramatic like usual.  It was part of his personality I’ve gotten too used to.

“Shut up.” 

“You were an entirely different person.  Even the way you danced was beautiful.”  Kyoko said seriously. 

“Well, I used to do gymnastics.  Dancing was part of my training.”  I explained shyly.

“Really?!”  They all gasped with shock.  “Why didn’t you say anything about it?  That’s amazing!”  Kyoko asked. 

“There wasn’t a chance to say it.” 

“No wonder you’re always not forced to do a lot of things in gym.”  Hana said.

“That’s not it.  I got an injury that took me out of the sport.  Because of that, I can’t participate in some activities.”  I lied mostly to get them off my back.

After a few more questions, the group left me alone.  I gave a heavy sigh.  That was tough to endure.  I turned to dad.  He was even happier than before.  He hasn’t really seen me this open or talkative with others before.  “Did mom come?”  I asked.  He seemed to be a little troubled by the question.

“I’m not sure.  She decided to move out for now.”  Dad looked hurt by mom’s decision.  It hurt me, but after all she said about me I didn’t know if I should be hurt.  If she wasn’t my mom, I’d hate her and want nothing to do with her.  But, she is my mom and she still loved me in the past.

“Oh.  Okay.”  I said with a depressing tone.

He then smiled.  “Your friends are waiting.”  He looked to the group of men. 

“You’re okay with me going with them?  They could be scarier.”

“Syoko told me not to worry about them.  She talked to me while I waited for you.  I’m proud of you for making good friends, Shiori.  I’ll see you when you get home.”  Dad hugged me one last time before leaving.

Hopefully, things will be better now.  All my parents needed was some alone time from each other.  That’ll maybe fix things.  Though, I knew it wouldn’t help.  I just wanted to hope everything would go back to normal.

“Shiori!”  I was picked up and crushed by none other than Lussuria. 

“I’m…going to die.”  I muttered.

He put me down, laughing like usual.  “I’m sorry.  You’re too adorable.  Your performance made me cry more than any romance story could.”  He took my hand and spun me in a circle. 

“T-thank you.” 

“Shall we go for dinner?”  Timoteo asked.  His friends were behind him. 

“I’m starving.  Let’s go, Shiori.”  Lussuria said with a solid grip on my hand. 

“I don’t have a choice, huh?”  I asked.

“Nope.” 

I let out a lifeless laugh and was led to an extravagant restaurant that was down the street.  It was very small hole in the wall type of place that was dim on the inside.  Everyone customer I could see was dressed extravagantly.  I definitely wasn’t wearing anything remotely close to be served here.  A waiter walked up to us. 

“Right this way, sir.” 

I could tell people were looking at me as we walked to our table.  I was obviously the odd man out.  I sat at the very end next to Xanxus.  I felt like I’d need an exit some point during dinner.  We were given water.  I knew from Kaoru this place only had one menu that never changed.  Everyone started to chatter and create conversations amongst each other.  I looked around at the many exits I had.  A waiter came and switched out my silverware to gold.  This weirded everyone out and made me suspicious. 

“Why did you switch those out for her and not us?”  Timoteo asked the waiter.  He just bowed and left without saying a word. 

“Switch with me, Shiori.”  Levi said, handing his silverware over to me. 

“I’ll be fine.  I’ve been here before.  They know me.”  That wasn’t the reason, but it was something they all went with. 

Xanxus knew I was lying and stared at me.  I sighed as our appetizers came out.  As I expected, I had a different dish that everyone.  “Your appetizer is a steak tartar.  The miss has tongue.” 

“I’d like if you gave her the same food as us.”  Timoteo said with a hidden threat.  The waiter ignored him and stared at me before leaving.  Gold?  Tongue?  This was familiar in a bad way.  We heard a loud commotion.

“What did you fuckers do to my food?  It’s complete shit!”  I looked up and saw a familiar woman.  Yuko was always causing a ruckus.  She didn’t change one bit since the last time I saw her.  Her medium length hair was up in a ponytail.  She wore a leather jacket and black pants.  If she was here, then something was wrong.  Something eventful would happen.

“What’s wrong?”  Xanxus asked quietly. 

“It’s nothing.” 

“Someone after you?”  He asked.

“No, but she’s after someone.”  I said in regards to Yuko.

“That loud woman?”  I nodded and kept watching her argue. 

She’s just buying time.  She stood up and knocked a waiter down.  Oh no.  I was getting myself prepared for the loud gunshot.  She looked around and locked eyes with me.  She was full of disbelief.  I took the gold knife with me and hid it in the arm of my jacket.  Knowing her style of fighting, I’d need a weapon on some sort.  I smiled brightly at her. 

“You’re smiling.”  She said quietly.  I could see her hands start to shake. 

The waiter got up and drew his gun, pointing it at her.  Some people tensed and gasped.  Though, most people were used to it.  “Shall we leave, sir?”  One of Timoteo’s friends asked.  I should probably start calling them Timoteo’s men instead.  The label of friends didn’t really suit them.

“Let’s see what happens first.”  Timoteo responded.  Xanxus held my left hand that was under the table.  He could feel how uneasy I was. 

“Really?  What pathetic piece of shit takes their gun out with the safety on?!”  Yuko said.  She started to laugh.  She didn’t hesitate to shoot him.  “That’s what you get, trash!”  Yuko looked at me and then at someone in a booth I couldn’t see.  A familiar woman walked out.  She had long blonde hair and wore a red suit.  She took a drag of her cigar. 

“This confirms everything.”  She spoke in her usual deep, sultry voice.  This was no other than Nikita.  She turned and saw me.  Her scar that covered her entire left side of the face was still as prevalent as ever.  She walked over and took my plate.  “I’ll take care of this.”  She had also put a small box on my lap without anyone noticing.  “Give this girl the meal she deserves.”

A sous-chef came running out with a plate similar to everyone else’s.  “I’m very sorry for the mix up, ma’am.”  He profusely apologized, obviously afraid for his life.

Nikita grunted.  “Considering it probably wasn’t your fault, I’ll let you live.”  The sous-chef ran back to the kitchen.  Nikita just stared at me.  “You grew.  Let’s go, Yuko.  Bring the bounty.” 

“Got it, sis.”  Yuko picked the man up with ease and walked out in front of Nikita. 

“Who the hell were those women?”  Squalo questioned. 

“They’re interesting characters.  I hardly know them, but we have met a few times before.”  I admitted.

“What about that Yuko woman?”  Bel asked. 

I made a strange look.  It was as if I deflated.  “She’s always been like that.  When she gets in fights, she’ll get everyone involved.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a civilian.  I’m actually surprised no one else was hurt.” 

“From the sounds of it, you seem to know quite a bit about her.”  Timoteo commented. 

“Unfortunately, I know her very well.  That woman always liked me too much.” 

“Isn’t that a good thing?”  Levi asked.

“It depends.  She gets a little obsessive over people she likes.  I’m on the top of her list of most liked people.  She was my complete shadow for seven months, threatening to kill anyone who even looked at me.  I get tired quickly from social interactions, so being with her constantly stressed me out.  Even knowing she was watching sent me over the edge.”  I sighed heavily.  Just thinking about it made me exhausted. 

“How did you get rid of her?”  Squalo asked me. 

“Nikita told her to stop.” 

“Did you go to her?”  Timoteo asked.  He seemed to know Nikita.

“I didn’t.  She found me.  She said she owes me months of favors because of Yuko harassing me.  I guess I got something out of it.”

Nono smiled.  No wonder she could calm the Varia down easily.  She’s used to their personality types.  Nono’s storm guardian nudged his arm.  Nono blinked, answering the silent question.  It was confirming just who Nikita really was.  Nikita wasn’t just a regular woman.  She was a Russian mafia boss that drifted off from her family to create her own.  Because of that, she is feared amongst all worlds, both above and underground.  It seemed like she was protective over Shiori.  If Shiori and Xanxus did get married, it’d mean a possible treaty of some kind between the two families.  Yuko, on the other hand, intrigued Nono. 

There must be a reason why Yuko liked Shiori so much to follow her for months.  She probably wasn’t telling everyone the full story for reasons and the more Nono was around Shiori, the more he slowly understood her environment when she grew up.  No one brought up the dead man at all.  She must be used to death as well which could be from the incident.  She’d be just fine with the Varia.  For the rest of the meal, Shiori was given the same food as everyone else.  Nikita is a terrifying and deadly woman, but she seemed to care for Shiori enough to threaten the staff with their life over a meal.  Shiori was talked into staying in Tokyo for the night thanks to the Varia pressuring her.  It was entertaining to see how the Varia and Shiori interact.  It’d be nice to see this every day.  The next day, Nono went for a walk with his storm guardian. 

“Sir, I think Shiori might be hiding something from us.”  He said.

“I’m aware, but I’m sure she has a reason.” 

“Move.”  Nono felt the barrel of a gun press into the back of his head. 

“Of course.”  Nono and his guardian were forced into an alley.  They turned and looked at Yuko.  Her eyes were dulled and sharpened.  “What is it, dear?” 

“Quit the endearments.  It makes me want to gag.  My boss wants to know why you’re around Shiori.  We weren’t aware her new friends were Vongola.”  Yuko was irritated.

“We’re around her because it’s what she wants.  She’s attached to my son.” 

“Xanxus?  Damn it!  That girl is an idiot.  I knew I should have stayed around her.  She always attracts dangerous people.”  Yuko pulled at her hair with frustration.

“You’re awfully dangerous yourself.”  Nono said with a smile. 

“No shit, Sherlock.  Do you plan on using Shiori as a pawn in any of your business?”  She asked.

“No, but I do hope she marries my son.”  Nono said honestly.

“Why?” 

“They’re cute together.”  Nono answered honestly.

“She isn’t marrying anyone without my permission.”  Yuko said dangerously. 

“That’s enough, Yuko.  I should have known not to send you.”  Nikita walked from the shadows of the alley.  She took a drag of her cigar.  “You always get too emotional when it comes to Shiori.” 

“Sorry about that, sis.  I can’t help it.”  Yuko took a step back. 

Nikita stared at Nono.  “If you couldn’t tell, we’re rather territorial with Shiori.  Yuko is worse than a dog.  She can always sniff Shiori out no matter where she may be.” 

“Don’t worry.  I don’t intend on involving her with the Vongola business.”  Nono replied.

“That is unless she marries your son.”  Nikita said with a scoff. 

“It’d be unavoidable at that point if that happens.” 

“Why should I trust you with her well-being?”  Nikita asked.

“She can turn my son from a man who only knows blood to a man who is level-headed.  That in itself is enough for me to protect her with my life.” 

“Your life, huh?  What about your son?  What does he want with her?”  Nikita questioned.

“Honestly, I’m not sure.  He already promised to take care of her once she’s taken care of business in Namimori.  Apparently, she’s having problems there.” 

Nikita’s eyes narrowed.  “Yuko.” 

“Am I allowed around Shiori?”  Yuko was excited.

“You have no more than three hours.  Don’t disappoint.”  Yuko ran off with a maddening look plastered on her face. 

“Are you okay with Shiori going to Italy?”  Nono questioned. 

“It’s hard for Shiori to trust anyone.  The fact she can trust your son to live with him is a level of trust she hasn’t shown in years.  As much as I’d want her here for us to protect…”  She took a drag of her cigar and looked into Nono’s eyes.  “All we want is her happiness.  If she’s happy with your son, I’ll allow her to go.  However, if he harms her in any way out of anger or for his own pleasure, we will attack and prevent the Vongola’s future.” 

Nono got back to the hotel which seemed to worry everyone.  Everyone was in the lobby.  However, Shiori went missing.  “Where’s Shiori?”  He asked the Varia.

“That crazy woman came in and attacked us a few hours ago.”  Squalo said with a bitter taste in his mouth. 

“Is anyone hurt?”  Nono asked.

“No, but Shiori saved the day.  She came in and threw Yuko to the ground before dragging her outside.  She said she’ll be back in a few hours.”  Lussuria explained what had happened.

Nono sighed.  Yuko didn’t waste any time in getting Shiori.  “I see.  Hopefully, we’ll see her before we leave.” 

“Sir?”  One of his guardians asked with concern. 

“Yes?” 

“What’s bothering you?”  He asked his boss.

“I met up with a certain mafia boss.  Let’s say we have a small truce.  However, there are conditions.” 

“What boss?”  Xanxus asked. 

“Nikita.”  The room became cold. 

“She’s a mafia boss?”  The Varia questioned. 

“I’m surprised you all don’t know about her.  She’s in charge of the most ruthless Russian mafia.  She takes talent all over the world and has them trained until they’re to Nikita’s standards.”  Nono explained.

“Is Shiori involved with them?”  Levi asked the important question on everyone’s minds. 

“Yes and no.  She isn’t one of Nikita’s men, but they’re very protective of Shiori.” 

“What does our truce have to do with Shiori?”  Xanxus questioned. 

Nono frowned.  “Nikita and Yuko both saw how close you were to Shiori.  They didn’t like it one bit.” 

“We have to stay away from her, don’t we?”  Lussuria said with a depressed tone. 

“That’s not it at all.”  Nono stared at his son.  He didn’t know how the news would be taken.  “If you were to hurt Shiori out of anger or for your own pleasure, they will take out the Vongola.”  They all froze.  They didn’t expect that to be the clause of the treaty. 

“So, we just don’t hurt Shiori.  That’s easy.”  Bel said. 

“No, Bel.  It was specifically directed to boss.”  Lussuria said quietly.  Xanxus stared at his hand. 

“How big is their family?”  Squalo asked. 

“They’re smaller than us, but numbers don’t mean a thing when you have talented people who are thirsty to kill.” 

Xanxus stayed quiet.  It worried Nono.  They all heard gunshots outside and immediately stood up.  People were screaming.  Xanxus put a hand on his chest.  Shiori isn’t hurt, but she’s scared.  Levi was surprisingly the first to act.  He ran out the door and looked everywhere. 

“What is that idiot doing?”  Squalo asked no one.  Levi ran away from the entrance.  A minute later, he brought in Shiori and Yuko. 

Lussuria ran to them.  “Are you alright?”  He asked.

“Yuko got hit.”  Shiori said calmly.

“I’ll be fine.  This is nothing.”  Yuko said with a wince.

“Shut up.”  Shiori snapped.  “Just shut up.”

“What happened?”  Nono asked Shiori. 

“Her enemy came out of nowhere and attacked her.”  She explained.

“You’re lucky you weren’t hit.”  Bel said.  Shiori didn’t react. 

“Did you get hit?”  Nono asked Shiori. 

“I was grazed by a bullet.”  Everyone in the room tensed.  “Don’t worry about me.  We need to hide Yuko before they find us.” 

“VOI!  Are you trying to get us killed, kid?”  Squalo yelled.  If they were involved with Nikita, the Vongola would be under questions. 

Yuko fully stood on her feet.  “Let’s get back out there!”  She said with a gun in each hand. 

“Don’t get shot this time.”  Shiori said as if it was something normal to say.

“I won’t!” 

Once Yuko left, Shiori sighed.  “She’ll get shot again and blame it on her ankle.” 

“Will she?”  Bel asked. 

“If she gets shot once, she’ll get shot a second time.  It happens time to time.” 

“She isn’t the greatest with a gun, is she?”  Bel asked again.

“That’s not it.  She took the bullet for me.  I got her shot.”  Xanxus could feel the same pain she did.  It hurt.  Men were walking into the hotel and from the stairs inside the building.  Great. 

“Looks like we got ourselves a little treat, men.  Not only did we land a hit on Yuko, but we have another group to execute.”  A man said.

“Wait!  It’s the girl!”  Someone pointed at Shiori.

“Huh?  What about her?”  Shiori took a few steps back.  “She’s the one the rumors are all about.  She’s the only survivor of the Tokyo massacre.” 

“So, she’s the monster that escaped hell.”  Everyone’s eyes widened as they looked at Shiori’s back. 

“I can assure you she’s no monster.”  Nono said in a stern voice. 

“I bet you don’t know the stories about her.”  Shiori was shaking.  Xanxus felt an array of emotions swell inside of him.  “Allow me to tell you all about it.” 

“Enough!”  Shiori yelled as loudly as she could.  “Don’t say another word.”  She pleaded.

“Or what?” 

“Or I’ll blow your brains out.”  The men jumped with surprise from Yuko’s voice.  “It’s been nine, long damn years since she’s been able to trust someone!  I won’t let you ruin this small glimmer of happiness for her!”  Yuko yelled.

The man scoffed.  “Monsters don’t deserve happiness.”  Shiori covered her ears with shaky hands just as Yuko pulled the trigger.  The rest of the men ran at Yuko and the Varia. 

“What now?”  Squalo asked Nono.  He looked at Shiori and closed his eyes. 

“Don’t kill any of them.”  This was enough for them to start attacking. 

“I’m not a monster…”  Nono heard Shiori whimper out.  “I’m…not.”  She crouched down, murmuring the same things over and over.  It broke his heart to see her like this.  He’d console her if he wasn’t being attacked.  Everyone but Shiori was being attacked. 

Yuko looked over at Shiori and felt even more anger seeing her afraid.  “I’ll kill all of you!”  She fired a few more bullets.  Her heart dropped to her stomach when she looked over at Shiori a second time.  One of the men was going for her.  “Don’t touch her!”  Yuko yelled, pleading for the man to stop.  She was too busy shooting the men that were running towards her.

The desperate plea made everyone stop what they were doing.  It was too late.  Shiori couldn’t hear anyone.  The man roughly grabbed her hair.  She let out a sharp gasp with wide eyes.  Shiori was breathing rapidly before letting out a scream.  The scream was powerful where it made everyone in the room freeze and it wasn’t because it was heartbreaking.  No.  It felt like something was being released after being locked away for years. 

“Good going, assholes.  You re-traumatized her.”  Again?  Shiori screaming slowly turned into pants.  Her arms fell to her sides as if she was a doll.  Yuko looked terrified.  “Shiori?”  She questioned as the fighting commenced.  Shiori didn’t answer. 

“Hey, wake up.”  The man said.  Shiori didn’t answer.  “Answer me!”  The man yelled as he swayed Shiori side to side by her hair. 

It made Yuko sick.  It angered Xanxus to a point he’s never felt anger.  This wasn’t supposed to happen.  She wasn’t supposed to get hurt.  He couldn’t feel anything from her and that bothered him more than anything.  Squalo tried chopping the guy’s head but was kicked away by another man. 

“We’re keeping this trophy for ourselves.”  The man holding Shiori said.

“She isn’t a trophy!”  Squalo shouted.

Yuko saw Shiori’s eyes open and let out a gasp.  “Oh shit.  Oh Shit!  Fuck!”  Yuko swore.

“What’s your problem?”  Levi asked her, throwing a man into the wall. 

“You mean our problem?” 

“Don’t drag us to do your dirty work.”  Levi replied.

“This isn’t my dirty work.  Look at Shiori.” 

He looked and paused for a second.  “She’s awake.”  Yuko nodded and took a few white bullets out.  She took out a phone and pressed a button. 

“Hey, sis, it’s me.  I’m dealing with them right now.  The Vongola’s helping out.  Don’t yell at me!  They were attacked!  It’s fair grounds.”  Yuko sighed heavily and stared at Shiori.  She was slowly starting to smile.  “We have a code red.  Yes, these idiots touched her.  I am killing them!”  Yuko saw Shiori smiling.  “Oh shit.  I need backup now!” 

 


	13. Chapter 13

Amongst the fighting a single, painful yell could be heard.  Yuko saw it all happen and knew this was going to turn into another incident.  Everyone turned and saw Shiori on top of her captive, her teeth sunken into the neck and her nails ripping into the skin.  She was growling like a beast.  She ripped a chunk of muscle off with her teeth.  She dropped it and snickered. 

“Shiori?”  Lussuria asked, terrified of what she did.  The only person who wasn’t in shock was Yuko.  Shiori stood up and turned to face everyone with a bloody face.  She looked around the room. 

“It hurts.”  Shiori said lifelessly.

That’s when Nono saw a familiar gold knife in her hand.  She must have taken it from the restaurant.  “What’s wrong with her?”  Levi asked Yuko. 

“It’s a little difficult to explain.” 

Shiori took a single step, terrifying the men.  She smiled at that.  She flipped the knife in her hand a couple of times.  When she caught it, she sped off with insanity filled eyes and a rough cry.  It was like the first night the Varia met Shiori.  She didn’t have any hesitation when it came down to stabbing her victims.  To top it all off, she was smiling as if she enjoyed it.  The men all turned on Shiori in an instant.  She threw the knife into a man’s back.  When it made impact, a large hole was made. 

“What the hell?”  Someone yelled with shock.  Yuko started shooting at Shiori. 

“What the hell are you doing?!”  Squalo yelled. 

“I’m saving our asses!” 

Shiori picked up the knife and threw it at a small group of men.  It grazed a few of their cheeks.  The scratches caused their heads to explode.  She laughed at what happened, finding the bloodshed humorous.  Nono knew exactly why Shiori was sick when he saw her last.  She isn’t sensitive to flames.  She has a flame too powerful for her body to contain.  Men were running out the building, screaming for their life.  Shiori ran after them.  She wasn’t going to let anyone leave.  Yuko aimed and fired a bullet into Shiori’s arm.  Yuko gasped when Shiori kept running.  That bullet was supposed to stop Shiori.  It was supposed to put her to sleep.  A few gunshots were heard.  Shiori fell backwards.  She tried to get up with a growl but was shot again.  Nikita walked in, her gun aimed at Shiori. 

“Stay down, comrade.”  She spoke quietly.

“Sis?”  Yuko said with surprise.  She didn’t think Nikita would show up as backup.  Nikita looked at Nono. 

“I’m not well-versed in flames.  I do know you are, Vongola.”  She spoke, still aiming her gun at Shiori.

“What’s wrong with her?”  Nono asked, walking over.  Shiori was struggling to get up.  She was trying to crawl away.  She was running purely on instinct alone.

“She got a lot stronger.”  Yuko spoke sadly. 

“I can see that.  It usually took one bullet to stop her.  Now, it takes multiple.”  Nikita mentioned. 

Nono walked over and crouched down to see if she was alright.  “Shiori?”  She yelled and tried to attack him.  He got out of the way in time before she could harm him.  Xanxus walked over to them.  “Xanxus?”  Nono questioned. 

“Move.”  Shiori looked up with a snarl.  Those dull eyes didn’t hide her anger for the world.  They showed what she felt, what she endured.  It was almost as if he was looking into a mirror.  It didn’t suit her at all.

Shiori jumped and grazed her nail against Xanxus’ cheek.  The small scratch wasn’t a big deal.  He could feel her flame throughout his body.  It burned him, but his flame burned worse.  Blood spat from the scratch.  It was as if his flame was pushing hers out. 

“It didn’t kill him…”  Nikita said with disbelief.

Xanxus wrapped his arms around Shiori, making sure she couldn’t move her arms to attack him anymore.  She struggled, making him fall down.  He still held her tightly, resting his head in the nook of her shoulder.  This way, she wouldn’t be able to bite him.  Xanxus just wanted this to be over.  He didn’t want to see Shiori like this.  She stopped struggling and took deep breaths after a tense ten minutes.  She was finally calming down. 

Nikita took out a cigar with a sigh.  “Clean up.”  Men came in behind her and started to take the bodies out.  Shiori’s breathing became normal.  Her whole body seemed to be relaxed. 

“Well?”  Bel asked his boss. 

“She’s sleeping.”  Everyone released a sigh of relief. 

“That was close.”  Yuko said happily. 

“Vongola.”  Nono looked at Nikita.  “I take back what I told you earlier.” 

“You do?” 

“Unless your men kill mine, I won’t attack you.”  Nikita’s words surprised everyone in the room.

“Sis?”  Yuko asked with shock. 

“It’s always good to be wrong once in a while, Yuko.  Besides, that man can help her in a way none of us ever could.” 

“Are we allies with the Vongola now?”  Yuko asked again. 

“No.”  Nikita answered. 

“I’d say we’re at peace.”  Nono said, keeping his eyes on his son. 

“No one could calm Shiori down all those years back.  All we could do was to keep her down there for days until she calmed down.”  Nikita explained.

“Will she be alright?”  Nono asked. 

“She’ll be exhausted for a couple of days.  There have been times where she pukes up blood.  Other than that, she should be just fine after that.  Besides, you know more about flames than I.  Hopefully, you can find a way to save her from herself.” 

“I’ll do everything in my power to help her.” 

Nikita looked at Shiori and smiled.  “Let’s go, Yuko.” 

“Huh?” 

“She found her place.  There’s no need to worry.” 

“Even if they’re Vongola?”  Yuko questioned.

Nikita glared at Yuko.  “I don’t give a damn who they are.  I won’t be the one to destroy her happiness and if you do anything to destroy that, Yuko, I’ll have you severely punished.” 

“Yes, ma’am.”  Yuko looked at Shiori.  This would probably be the last time Yuko would see Shiori.  At least, that’s what she felt.  Yuko looked at Nikita’s face and frowned.  Even Nikita was holding her emotions back. 

“Let’s go.  We still have work to do.”  Nikita walked out of the building.

“I’ll be there in a second.”  Yuko walked over to Shiori who was still sleeping.  She smiled.  “I guess this is goodbye for a while.  You know, this is the first time I’ve seen you happy in years.  It breaks my heart knowing you weren’t happy with us, but Nikita said you found your place.  I’ll have to trust her on that.”  Yuko pushed a piece of Shiori’s hair out of her face.  “Don’t be afraid to come to us when you have problems.  You have a bad habit of bottling everything up.  You’ve always been like that.  We’ve all betrayed the world once.  We won’t hesitate to do it again as long as it’s for your sake.”  Yuko looked at Xanxus.  “I leave her in your hands, Xanxus.  Please, save her.  This is my only request.” 

The entire hotel lobby had a depressing air to it once Nikita and her men left.  Nono sat down and looked at everyone recovering.  “Why was Yuko sad about leaving?”  Bel asked no one in particular. 

“Shiori is important to them.  They’ve known each other for more than nine years.”  Lussuria replied.

“That isn’t it, Lussuria.”  Everyone looked at Nono.  “They’re constantly being targeted.  They live knowing today could be their last day.  It’s why Nikita only recruits the best of the best.”  Nono responded with his head hung low. 

“Why do you think Shiori is important to Nikita?”  Squalo asked. 

“I’m not sure.  They didn’t say when I asked.” 

Xanxus stood up with Shiori in his arms.  “Boss?”  He ignored everyone and took the elevator up.  They all wondered what Yuko said to Xanxus before she left.  Squalo followed after him.  Something was wrong.  Squalo opened the door to the room without even knocking.  Shiori was underneath the blankets.  Xanxus sat at the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands. 

“Boss?”  Squalo called out.  He didn’t answer.  Squalo shut the door behind him and walked over to the bed.  “What’s gotten into you?”  He saw a small tear fall.  “Why are you crying?” 

“You wouldn’t understand.”  Xanxus replied.

“Try me.”  Squalo scoffed.

Xanxus looked defeated and raised his head.  “When she finally calmed down, the real her came back.  I felt everything she felt all at once.” 

“Like the way she could feel your emotions?” 

Xanxus nodded.  “I’ve never felt so afraid in my whole life.  What the hell made her feel that?  Why did she freak out when her hair was touched?”  Xanxus questioned. 

“I…don’t know.” 

“What the hell happened to her?” 

Squalo stayed silent.  He didn’t know anything and refused to tell Xanxus about her arm.  “Boss.”  Mammon came into the room. 

“What do you want?” 

“She’s alright.” 

“And?”  Xanxus questioned.

“I checked her mind when she fell asleep.  Her flame was fully activated, but it hasn’t caused any damage to her.  I had a nice conversation with her.” 

“Did she freak out?”  Squalo asked. 

“No.  She’s somehow always been able to sense my presence.  Plus, with everything she’s seen, a floating baby didn’t bother her.”  Mammon responded.

“Why are you telling me this?”  Xanxus asked. 

“She could see everything that happened but didn’t have control of her body.  She couldn’t hear anything but what Yuko told her.” 

“She didn’t have control?”  Xanxus questioned.

“It’s her survival instinct.  In her words, ‘I became a monster to survive that hell’.”  This didn’t help the two men feel any better. 

“You know what happened, don’t you?”  Xanxus said. 

“I do.” 

“Did you force your way into her memories like you do everyone else?” 

“No.  She showed me on her own accord.” 

“What did you see?”  Xanxus asked, interlocking his hands. 

“She told me not to tell anyone.  In fact, she’s adamant about you not finding out.” 

Frustration filled Xanxus.  “Why?” 

“I don’t know.” 

Xanxus abruptly stood up and left the room.  Mammon and Squalo looked at each other.  “This isn’t good.  The boss is being obsessive.”  Mammon commented. 

“I’m aware.  It’s gotten worse over time.  What can we do about it?”  Squalo asked.

“We can’t cut them off completely.  It’s something we need to figure out before the battles.  We can’t have boss distracted.  He needs to win.” 

Squalo looked at Mammon seriously.  “Do you think it’d be dangerous for us to keep in contact with her?”

“That’s a possibility, but there’s a sense of harmony between us with her around.  Just think about the first time you all met her.  She instantly fit with us.  It was as if she’s been with us for years.” 

“We can’t involve her, Mammon.  Not for the battles.” 

“The battles are nothing compared to real life, Squalo.” 

“I know.” 

The two sighed.  This was a strange predicament to be in.  It’s something none of them thought they’d face.  Xanxus came back to the room.  “Are you good, boss?”  Mammon asked.

“I’m making her tell me what happened.”  Xanxus declared.

“If she tells you, will you tell her of our job?”  Mammon questioned. 

“No.” 

“That’s selfish.”  Squalo commented.

“I don’t care.” 

“You don’t want to do this, Xanxus.  She’s a lot more messed up than you think.  One wrong move and you’ll never see her again.”  Mammon warned.  The things he saw would make anyone queasy.  For a seasoned assassin like Mammon, it made him feel sick.

“I won’t know until I see.”

Unfortunately for the three in the room, I was already awake, listening to them talk.  It didn’t settle right with me that Xanxus would force me to speak.  I understood they were hiding something, but I already had a suspicion of their occupation.  No.  I already knew.  Everyone has something to hide.  It’s why I understood.  It was soon night time.  Xanxus was sleeping beside me with his back facing me.  I got up and washed all the blood off me.  I wouldn’t want to grab anyone’s attention.  I took the box Nikita gave me and then left the room.  I’ve caused enough trouble as it is.  The hallway was dimly lit.  There was a small voice telling me to stay, but I ignored it. 

“Leaving already?”  I saw Mammon for the first time in real life. 

“Mammon…” 

“Are you shocked?”  He asked.

“I can’t deny my surprise, but you did warn me.” 

“Are you leaving because of what Xanxus said?”  He must have known I was awake.

“I’ve caused enough trouble as it is.  I wouldn’t be able to stand myself if I stayed.”  I said quietly.

“Is it because you lost control?”  I nodded and kept walking. 

Mammon caught up to me.  “Shiori.” 

“I have a lot in my past I need to face.  I’m only using everyone here as a crutch.”  I admitted.

“You’ve only been using us to run away from the past?”  He questioned, not sure how to take it.

“I tried to, but the more I’m around you, the more my past comes back.  I don’t want to face it.” 

“What’s your relationship with Nikita?  It has to be something more than you being Yuko’s obsession.”  I sighed heavily and stopped.  I let my head hang low. 

“She was someone I’d see every so often at Genzo’s shop.  I’d serve her tea.  That’s it.”  Mammon knew I lied.  “I need to go, Mammon.” 

“Let me go with you to the train station.  It’ll give everyone some sense of security.” 

“Alright.”  Mammon followed after me. 

Tokyo was lit up as usual, but it was slowing down.  Salarymen were sleeping on the side of the streets.  Drunks were wobbling home.  Gangs were patrolling their territory.  “Where will you start?”  Mammon asked me in regards of my past. 

“I’ll start from the beginning and then work up to the present.  At least, I’ll try to.”  I said, enjoying the fresh air.

“What started everything?” 

“It all started with death and will end in more death.  It’s always been like that.”  We got to the station. 

“This is as far as I can go.  Be safe, Shiori.” 

“I will, Mammon.” 

“If anything happens, you can always call us.” 

“I’ll be fine.  I’m more than capable of handling any situation.”  I turned and walked onto the train.  Luckily for me, I was on the last train home.  I turned to face the door and saw someone standing next to Mammon.  The train was empty.  I was the only one who was riding it.  Somehow, it made me feel at ease.  The quiet really helped me think.  “I guess it’s time for me to see you again.”  I muttered to myself.

Nono stood next to Mammon as Shiori got on the train.  “I’m surprised you followed us.”  Mammon said.

“I’m concerned about her.” 

“I think that’s one of Shiori’s hidden abilities.  She makes everyone worry about her.”  Mammon said with a small smile.

“It certainly is a power of hers.”  Nono mused happily.

“Do you think she’s been using us for emotional support?” 

“That was a lie, Mammon.”  Nono turned around. 

“I can’t tell with her.  It’s frustrating.” 

“I think no one in the world can tell with her.”  Nono commented with a small frown.

“What do you think of her power, Nono?” 

“That will be for another day, Mammon.  Let’s go back to get some rest.  Despite what you say, you’re just as worried as everyone else.” 

Mammon didn’t answer and followed Nono back to the hotel.  The next morning, Xanxus woke up and didn’t see Shiori.  She was probably downstairs eating since he couldn’t hear the water running.  However, when he saw the table full, Shiori wasn’t occupying any seats. 

“Good morning, boss.”  Levi put a plate of food where Xanxus was eating. 

“Is Shiori still sleeping?”  Lussuria asked. 

“She wasn’t in the room when I woke up.  I thought she’d be here.”  Xanxus replied.

“She went home.”  Nono said at the opposite side of the table. 

“How do you know?”  Xanxus questioned.

“Mammon brought her to the train.” 

“Why did she leave?”  Xanxus questioned. 

“She needed to deal with personal issues.”  Nono replied. 

“What issues?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“Calm down, boss.  You need to focus on the upcoming battles.”  Mammon said, but it didn’t calm Xanxus down at all.  It only pissed him off.

It’s been a few days since I arrived home.  We were on our winter break.  Mom’s stuff wasn’t in the house anymore.  I guess she moved out as quickly as possible.  Today, I decided to make a stew for dinner.  It’s freezing cold outside, so dad would really appreciate it.  However, it’s getting late and he should have been home by now.  I put a jacket on and walked outside.  I’ll go check his work to see if he’s still there.  The company didn’t mind me coming in to check on dad.  In fact, they thought it was cute.  So, I went and entered the office door. 

“Ah, Shiori, are you here to find your dad?”  The receptionist asked. 

“I am.” 

“He left an hour ago.  He probably went to the store to get you something sweet.”  The receptionist said with a bright smile.  Dad was always fond of telling everyone about me.

“Thank you.  I’ll check.”  I left with a feeling on unease. 

He should have been home by now.  Hopefully, he’s at a store somewhere.  I entered the convenience store.  He wasn’t here.  So, I bought a small cookie for a needed sugar rush and checked out.  Surprisingly, I saw Gokudera.  We locked eyes and he blinked a few times.  He was probably figuring out how he knows me.

“Aren’t you in my class?”  He asked. 

“I am.” 

“What’s your name again?” 

Did he forget about me?  “Shiori.” 

“Oh!  You’re the one everyone talked about.  You did well during the play.” 

“Thank you.”  I paid and took the cookie. 

“What are you doing out late?  You’ll get hurt by thugs.  They’re out this time of night.”  He said with worry.

“I’m looking for my father.”  I gave a small bow and left.  I didn’t want to involve anyone with my personal affairs.

I kept walking around town.  I couldn’t find him anywhere.  So, I went home to see if he arrived.  Before I could open the door, I heard a rustling from inside.  I immediately took a few steps away and hid.  “She isn’t here.”  I heard a voice. 

“How hard is it to find one girl?  Her father was easy to find.” 

“She’s a snake.”  My eyes widened.  It was mom’s voice.  “Where did you end up dropping him off?”  Mom asked. 

“The park.  No one will find him alive.” 

My body shook with anger.  It took every fiber of my body not to go in and lose control.  It’d be the only time I’d willingly lose control.  Once they left, I got out of my hiding spot.  I ran to the park.  I didn’t have time to waste.  Unfortunately, I ran past Kyoya.  I didn’t have time to react.  I just had to run.  At the park, I saw a small trail of blood.  I followed it and heard a groan.  There lying against a tree was dad.  He was bruised and had cloth in his mouth to prevent him from screaming. 

“Dad.”  His eyes widened when he saw me.  I took the cloth out of his mouth. 

“Run.”  He said weakly, looking behind me.

“What?”  I looked back and saw Kyoya and his dad.  “I’m not leaving you.”  My grip on him tightened.

“You’ll get hurt.  You’ve been hurt enough as it is.” 

I refused to leave his side.  I’d rather die than leave him.  “Let’s get you to the hospital.”  I said calmly.  I tried to smile.

“How?  We’re trapped.  You can get out safe if you leave without me.”  Dad responded.

“They’re just watching to see what I’ll do.”

“There’s nowhere to run, little bird.”  The Kyoya’s dad said in a taunting voice.  I ignored him and kept wrapping dad’s wounds with pieces of cloth. 

“It looks like she’s mute from fear.”  A familiar taunting voice replied to my silence.  It was Kyoya’s uncle, the more annoying one out of the brothers.

“It seems so.”  The two laughed.  Once dad’s major wounds were all wrapped up, I gave a sigh.  “If you come with us, we’ll make sure your father makes a full recovery.  If not, you’ll watch your father die.”  Dad looked at me with disbelief.  He didn’t know what to do.  I didn’t either.  I stood up and faced the three. 

“Promise?”  I asked.

“We promise.” 

“Let’s make a promise with blood.”  I suggested to them.  I walked over and held my hand out. 

I was handed a knife.  “If you can even cut yourself, I’ll consider it.  You’re a weak bird.”  Kyoya’s father said.

“You need to make it a considerable cut too.”  The uncle said with a smile.

Kyoya just stared at me silently.  Without hesitation, I cut my palm.  A considerable amount of blood fell from the wound.  They stared with surprise.  “See?  Look at all the blood that’s flowing out of my hand.”  I moved my hand and fingers around.  “I want to see your blood.”  The three froze. 

“You actually did it.”  Kyoya’s father said with disbelief.

“Where’s your end of the deal?  Or are you more of a coward than I am?”  I taunted them with an innocent smile. 

“Don’t cut yourself for a bird, brother.  I’ll do it.” 

“I don’t believe you made the promise.  Stay out.  I don’t want your blood.”  I said with a glare.  The man scoffed and took out another blade and made a small cut. 

“I never knew you’d go to such extreme lengths.” 

He still didn’t shake my hand.  “I’m waiting for you to shake.”  I said.

“I don’t want to get anything from your impure blood.”  He said with disgust.

“That’s a shame.  I’d say the same, but I’m no coward.  Give me your worst.”  I said with an equal amount of disgust.  He was reacting the way I wanted him to react.  He was unsure but hated being taunted by me.  It was such a great thing to see.  In the end, he shook my hand. 

“Brother!” 

“I must say you improved with your taunts.”  My grip tightened.  An ambulance came and took dad away.  We still held hands.  “I think that’s enough hand holding.  Come with us.” 

“As you wish.”  The younger brother bandaged my hand up.  “That’s awfully nice considering what you did to my father.”  I spat.

“It’d be a shame to have your blood over our beloved town.” 

Once I was all bandaged up, I followed the three.  The two men led the way while Kyoya was slightly in front of me.  I couldn’t help but be thankful for Yuko and her stalking.  I did the same thing to the three Hibari as I did with Yuko many years ago.  It was a technique I had developed to get away from her.  If this worked on a professional like Yuko, then these idiots would have no idea until they looked back.  Matching my footsteps with Kyoya, the sound my steps made became quieter and quieter.  Once I was completely silent, I stopped for a split second before walking into an alley.  I made sure to be quiet and to keep my breathing steady.  Next stop, home.  I couldn’t show my face at the hospital just yet.  That’d be too stupid of me.  I’m sure there are Hibari littered in the hospital that are watching dad.  I couldn’t let them catch me now.  The goal of this game is to see them destroyed and now that they did this to me, to dad, I won’t hold back.  I’ll show them what this little bird could do.


	14. Chapter 14

The three men stopped outside a large, traditional style house.  Kyoya knew his father and uncle were proud at their accomplishment of finally capturing Shiori.  It was still something he didn’t even understand.  She wasn’t a threat by any means and didn’t display any sign of physical strength.  There was no gain in capturing her.  The three turned to look at Shiori and froze.  She was gone.  How did she leave without them knowing?  Wouldn’t they have heard her?  Throughout Kyoya’s life, he’s never seen his father lose his cool until now.  He put a hand over his face. 

“Where did she go?”  Kyoya’s uncle asked.  “Kyoya, did you hear her leave?”  He asked Kyoya.

“No.” 

Kyoya’s father shook with anger.  “What shall I do, brother?”  The uncle asked.

“Don’t do anything.” 

“Why not?”  The uncle asked.

“I’ll give her this win for now.” 

Kyoya was surprised.  Usually, his father would have whoever defied him killed or severely injured.  However, Shiori was the only exception.  She was the one that everyone in the family talked about.  Yet, Kyoya didn’t know why everyone was obsessed with her.  Even though he didn’t have many interactions with her, she was always on time and didn’t cause any trouble for anyone. 

“Shall I give orders?”  Kyoya’s uncle asked.

“No.”  Kyoya’s father turned his back to them.  “If she steps out of line once, Kyoya, go ahead and give her the Hibari specialty.” 

“Yes, father.”  It was the only thing he could say.  Even he couldn’t defy his father.  At least he didn’t dare do it in the state his father was in.  It’d be too dangerous.

For the remainder of the week, I noticed Kyoya watching me a lot.  It was probably on his father’s orders.  He’d even be patrolling the hallway my class was on more than usual.  No one in class seemed to noticed.  At least, no one openly spoke about it.  They were all too afraid of Kyoya.  On my way home on Friday, I saw him standing between the school entrance and the gate.  I had a feeling he was waiting for me, but I kept walking. 

“Stop.”  He spoke. 

I stopped a few feet away from him.  “Yes?” 

“How’s your hand?”  He asked.

I tilted my head with confusion.  I thought he’d ask how I left or make me go with him.  I lifted my hand with my palm facing him.  There was only a small scratch left.  He was slowly coming to the realization the wound wasn’t as bad as it initially looked.  “I’ll be just fine.”  I could see his body tense. 

“Impossible…”  He muttered.

“What is?” 

Kyoya grabbed my hand and stared with disbelief.  “Your hand should still be sliced open.” 

“Should it?”  He nodded.  “I guess I’m a fast healer.”  It wasn’t that at all.  I only made one spot in the middle of where I cut that was deeper than the rest.  It was enough to fake a larger wound.  “May I leave, sir?”

“Yes.” 

I gave a small bow and walked right past him.  I had to cover my mouth as soon as I left the gates.  Yuko was starting to rub off on me.  I wanted to laugh right in his face, but I knew better.  Kyoya was innocent until he tries to attack me.  Plus, it’d be more satisfying to laugh at his father and uncle instead.  They gave me this small victory probably out of pity.  For them, it’s one too many victories.  They’ll come sooner or later.  I didn’t know when, but I knew I had to be ready at any time.  This was a simple game between a cat and a mouse.  They just didn’t realize they were the mouse.

When I got to the hospital a couple of days later, Dad was resting in bed.  I couldn’t come before just in case the Hibari would ambush me.  The nurse taking care of him told me he was in a coma and wouldn’t wake up anytime soon.  No one knew when he’d wake up.  Even not knowing when he’d wake up, I’d still visit him.  I wanted to be by his side as much as possible.  I’d change the water for the flowers I got him and talk about how my day was to the finest detail.  Just seeing him lay there motionlessly made me feel numb.  There was nothing I could do to help him.  All I needed to do was wait.  The doctor walked in.  To my surprise, it was Shamal.  This was actually my first time seeing him outside of the school. 

“You’re that student that passed out.”  He said with surprise. 

“How’s my father?”  I asked wanting to know what was exactly happening.

Shamal took a look at the chart in his hand.  He flipped through a few pages.  “He’s lucky to be alive from the beating he took.  There’s a chance he’ll make it.” 

“You don’t need to sugar coat things.  What’s the chance of him actually waking up?  I need to know this.” 

Shamal looked straight into my eyes.  “There’s a low chance of him actually waking up.”  My grip on dad’s left hand tightened.  In the back of my head, I knew that would happen, but I didn’t want it to be true.  No one wants their parent to be in this situation.  “I didn’t want to get you depressed.”  He said with a sigh.

“It’s okay.  I appreciate you telling me the truth.” 

“Do you know what happened?  Did someone attack him?  The entire staff is acting weird and refuses to treat him.  So far, it’s just me and a traveling nurse who will actually help him.” 

“I know who did this to him and it’s why no one but you will treat him.” 

“Who did it?”  He asked.

“The Hibari family.”  I didn’t bother to look at Shamal.  I kept my focus on dad’s face.  “Everyone in town is afraid of them because they’ll break you if you don’t obey their laws.”

“Have they tried to hurt you?” He asked seriously.

“They’ve tried multiple times.” 

“Do you need help escaping town?” 

I shook my head and smiled.  “I’ll leave once my business here is done.” 

“What business do you have?  You could potentially end up like your father.  He wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”  These were the times I hated when no one knew what I could endure or what I could do.  Even if they did, they’d even be more protective of me.  It was a curse and a blessing at the same time.

“It’s rather complicated, but it does involve the Hibari family.”  Shamal then handed me a card.  “What’s this?”  I asked.

“Take it.  If you’re ever in a bind and need help, call me.”  He looked too serious for a normal doctor.

“Having you taking care of my father is more than enough for me.”  I commented.

“And if they end up kidnapping you?  What if they torture you instead?”  Shamal asked which confirmed my suspicions.  No normal doctor would think of something like torture.

“It’s okay.  I know some terrifying people.  One little scratch is all it’ll take.”  I replied with a maddening smile. 

“Shiori?” 

“I’m from Tokyo.  I know scary people.” 

“Yakuza?”  Shamal questioned quietly. 

“It’s only natural.  I was always a curious child that loved adventure.  I just so happened to adventure too far into the shadows.”  I said.  Syoko would take the Hibari out without any hesitation if they hurt me.  Kaoru would start torturing the men with his blade.  Yuko would make them beg for mercy.

“Will you have them killed?”  Shamal asked.

“That’s not my decision.  I only call for help.” 

“Well, still take my card.  You never know when you’ll need it.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind.  Thank you.” 

Shamal left the hospital room and went on break.  Why did the Hibari want to target Shiori’s family?  They didn’t seem like they’d cause trouble.  It was unlike anyone, much less a teenager, to be this calm with their parent in a coma.  Shiori should be sobbing knowing her father would probably die.  Plus, her ties to the yakuza were unexpected.  All in all, Shiori was a mystery.  Reborn would like her.  It’s surprising she didn’t get on his radar at all.  A shadow in the break room moved.  Shamal’s trained eye caught it immediately and followed behind.  The shadow was a man in a suit.  He stopped at the door Shiori was in and took out a gun.  Shamal could immediately sense the blood lust that came off him.  He then fell to the floor thanks to one of Shamal’s mosquito. 

“That man is already dead.  Why are you after Shiori?  What do you want with that girl?”  Shamal questioned the unconscious man.

By the time Shiori left, the body outside the door was taken care of.  Shamal decided to follow Shiori home just in case she was attacked.  She hummed softly to herself.  Just as Shamal predicted, more men were after her.  One walked right up to Shiori. 

“Your father is already taken care of and you escaped our family head.  His orders were to give you the Hibari specialty.”  He said with bitter cold.

“If it’s anything like what you’ve done in the past, I don’t want any of it.  I’m tired.”  She replied.

“You’re not going home tonight or any other night.” 

“I’m so scared.”  Shiori sounded bored. 

“We were warned about you.” 

“I’m glad you were.  The other warnings weren’t taken seriously.”  She didn’t seem bothered by the men.

“You always mock us when we’re superior to you, to everyone!”  That’s when Shiori kicked him as hard as she could between his legs.  It made Shamal weak at the knees.  The man fell on his back. 

Shiori stepped on him.  “Look how superior you are now.”  She spat on him before leaving.  Shamal got a phone call shortly after Shiori walked away. 

“Shamal.” 

“Reborn?  What do you want?”  Shamal asked with surprise.  Reborn never called.

“I’m bored and Tsuna isn’t very entertaining.” 

“I see.  Where do you want to meet?” 

“The café would be nice.  I’ve wanted some decent coffee.”  Shamal hung up and kept watching Shiori’s back getting smaller and smaller.  She’ll be fine for tonight.  He couldn’t sense any other bloodlust in the area.  He turned around and went to the café.  Surprisingly, Tsuna, Gokudera, and Yamamoto were there as well.  The three teens were surprised to see him. 

“Good timing, Shamal.  Did you just get done your shift?”  Reborn greeted.

“I did a while ago.” 

“I hope you weren’t stalking any girls.  That’d be bad.”  Reborn teased.

“I wasn’t stalking anyone.  I was making sure she’d get home safely.”  Shamal clarified.

“Who are you stalking this time?”  Reborn questioned. 

“It’s not stalking.  I was making sure Shiori got home safe.” 

“Shiori?!”  The teens shouted. 

“Yes, your classmate.” 

“She isn’t there for you to take advantage of!”  Gokudera shouted angrily. 

“She isn’t your type at all, Shamal.  What’s going on?”  Reborn questioned seriously.  The table suddenly got cold.  It was as if a breeze was blown into the café. 

“Her father was admitted to the hospital about a week or two ago.  When he was admitted, his body was completely broken.  I’m surprised he survived that.  Now, he’s in a coma and probably won’t wake up.  I have a feeling he’ll pass away in his sleep from his heart giving out.”  Shamal explained in a hush tone.

Gokudera tensed up.  He knew Shiori was looking for him.  She must have found him like that.  All of the boys thought about how it’d be like to find their own loved one in that state.  “Who attacked him?”  Reborn asked. 

“Hibari.” 

“Huh?”  The teens questioned.

“Not your classmate.  The entire family.  I don’t think Kyoya has anything to do with it.  If he did, he’d probably would have hurt Shiori by now.”  Shamal said.

“Were they after her father?”  Tsuna asked.

“They’re after her.  They probably attacked him to get her to submit herself to them.  So, I gave her my contact information in case she was in trouble.”  Shamal explained.

“You’d go against the Hibari family?  That’s awfully brave of you.”  Reborn commented. 

“It is, but I couldn’t help it.  They’re all under orders to give her the Hibari specialty.” 

This made the teens pale.  They knew what Kyoya could do and knew they didn’t experience all of his strength when they broke into the disciplinary committee room.  “Why are they after her?”  Gokudera questioned.

“I don’t know.  She didn’t say either.”  Shamal wanted to tell them about her yakuza connections, but the three would treat her differently.  If they did know, it’d add a lot of stress onto Shiori.

“It looks like Shiori got a lot more interesting.”  Reborn commented with a smile. 

“You’re not bringing her into this.”  Tsuna said. 

“I will if she’s valuable, but from what I know, she’s weak and has body issues.  She won’t do the family any good.” 

“Body issues?”  Everyone questioned. 

“Don’t tell me how you’ve seen how she dresses.  She’s always covered and doesn’t show any skin.  She was a gymnast, so she does has a good body.” 

“I never thought it was weird.”  Yamamoto said. 

“You never think anything is weird.”  Tsuna and Gokudera said. 

“Tsuna, become Shiori’s friend and invite her over for dinner.”  Reborn commanded.

“I can’t just do that!” 

“Do it or else I’ll kill you.”  Reborn looked at Shamal and saw something bothering him.  “Was she attacked on her way home?”

“She was.”  This got the teens’ attention. 

“Did you take care of the bastard?”  Gokudera said, steadily getting angrier.

“She took care of the guy herself.  The guy talked too much and she nailed him right between the legs as hard as she could.  The guy instantly passed out.” 

The four paled from imagining the pain.  Even Reborn didn’t want to know what that would feel like.  Hell, if he was in his adult body, he’d be terrified to piss off the girl.  “Well, let’s hope Shiori stays safe and her father makes a full recovery.”  Reborn said enthusiastically. 

“It’ll be one hell of a miracle if he survives.  I’ll even celebrate that.”  Shamal commented unenthusiastically.

Tsuna looked into the distance.  Shiori must be going through a lot right now.  Her father might die and she’s being targeted.  She looked like someone who couldn’t tolerate any pain.  It broke his heart knowing the danger she was in.  She was always quiet and minded her business.  She didn’t deserve to be hunted down like this.  It didn’t set right with him. 

Soon, it was Christmas.  It was my favorite holiday, but since I was by myself, it hurt a lot more.  The days leading up to Christmas were dull and the actual day numbed me.  I still went shopping for food, but everyone stared at me with pity.  News spreads fast in Namimori and I’m sure the Hibari were the ones to spread the news about me.  “Shiori?” 

I looked up from my feet and saw Dino.  “Dino?  What are you doing here?” 

“I came here for New Year’s.” 

“And Christmas?”  I questioned.

“This was the only flight.  Do you celebrate Christmas?”  He asked.

“I do.” 

“Why do you sound so sad?” 

“I’m by myself this year.” 

Dino frowned.  “Are your parents working?” 

“It’s something like that.”  I gave a small bow.  “I’ll see you later.”  I walked away but Dino ran up to me. 

“I’m not leaving you by yourself on Christmas.  We can celebrate together.” 

“Why?  You probably have plans somewhere else.”  He gave me a large smile that told me everything.  “You were looking for me, weren’t you?” 

“You and Squalo can see right through me.” 

“You make it too easy.”  I commented dryly.

Dino laughed.  “Squalo says the same thing all the time.”  When we got to my house, we walked right in.  Even Dino could feel how empty and cold it was.  Once the door closed, Dino became serious.  “What’s wrong?  Are your parents really working?” 

“They’re not.” 

“Where are they?”  I put the bags on the table. 

“My mom abandoned us.  Those people attacked my father, putting him in a coma he’ll probably never wake up from.  Even if he does, the wounds he took were severe.”  I explained as I took the groceries out of the bags. 

Dino’s expression turned from serious to shock.  It looked like he was tearing up.  “Why did your mom abandon you?” 

“I was stupid and because of what those people did to me years ago, my mom lost her love for me.” 

“She shouldn’t hate you for that.  She was probably worried.” 

“You don’t understand, Dino.  She changed after I was rescued.  She became fake and distant.  She didn’t even help me recover.  My dad was the only one that cared and now…”  I stopped myself and sighed.  I couldn’t even say it myself.

“You don’t know your dad won’t survive.” 

“It’ll be a miracle if he’ll even wake up.  They broke him, Dino.  His whole body was broken.”  I could still see every detail on dad’s body whenever I remembered what happened.  There was nothing left untouched.

Dino ran and hugged me tightly.  “It’ll be alright.  I can’t promise your father will survive, but I’ll do anything to help you with whatever you need.” 

“You don’t have to.” 

His grip on me tightened.  “You’re my friend, Shiori.  And as your friend, I won’t stop bugging you until you’re in Italy with everyone.” 

“Huh?” 

“Squalo told me.  You’re staying with Xanxus when everything is taken care of, right?”  I nodded.  “See?  Even if the worse happens, you have everyone back home.” 

“Home…”  I said to myself.

“Your new home.”  It’s still hard to consider anyone a friend.  It’s even harder trusting them.  Slowly, I started to trust them bit by bit.  If any of them were to turn their back on me, I’d probably never be able to open up to anyone again.  Dino let go with his usual idiotic smile that always eased my worries.  “Let’s get on with the Christmas celebration!” 

When Dino left, Shiori was sleeping on the couch in her pajamas with a heated blanket on her.  The television was on a random food program that she seemed to enjoy.  She’s been suffering lately and it was Dino’s job to make her as comfortable as possible.  The Varia weren’t here to help her, so he had to do everything in his power to help.  Dino went to Tsuna’s to sleep and to check in with Reborn.  Dino planned on bothering Shiori tomorrow and for the rest of the time he’s in Japan.  When he entered the house, Reborn and Nana were up having tea.

“You’re here late.  Did your plane get delayed?”  Nana asked. 

“I was with a friend.” 

“Really?  Why?”  Nana asked with curiosity.  There was no ill meaning behind the question.

“Her father is in the hospital, so I spent Christmas with her.  It seems to be her favorite holiday.” 

“That’s awfully nice of you, Dino.  You should bring your friend over so we can all meet her.”  Nana said brightly.

“I might one day.”  Nana shortly went upstairs to sleep.

“How’s she doing?”  Reborn asked. 

“She’s clearly depressed.  She isn’t even looking at the possibility of her father living.” 

“At least she has her mother.”  Dino stayed silent after Reborn spoke.  “What do you know?” 

“Her mother had an affair with a Hibari and abandoned Shiori.  She’s all alone.  Her father is all she has.”  Dino spoke in an empty voice.

“What about friends?” 

Dino shook his head.  “She says she doesn’t have any.  I consider her a friend, but she doesn’t see me as one.”  He explained.

“Was she sleeping when you left?”  Reborn asked.

“She’s all snuggled up in an electric blanket with one of her favorite programs on the television.  We made a lot of food, so she has food for tomorrow.” 

“Despite what I say, you’re a good man, Dino.  You just have to wait for her to be legal and then marry her.”  Dino shook his head.  He didn’t want to face the consequences of even having a crush on her.  Plus, Xanxus would get pissed at him and that’s one level of hell by itself. 

 By the next morning, I woke up on the couch.  The blanket Dino put on me kept me nice and warm.  I didn’t want to get up.  Thankfully, the remote was close by for me.  I wanted to watch cartoons.  The door opened, letting in the cold winter air.  “Shiori?  Are you up?”  Dino asked.

“Yes.” 

Dino walked in with a bag of things from the convenience store.  “How are you feeling?”  He asked.

“Warm.” 

“I’m guessing you like the warmth.” 

“It’s the only thing that makes me feel safe.”  I muttered as I sat up.

“Like the warmth when Xanxus cuddled with you all night?”  Dino teased.

My cheeks turned pink.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“You’re probably right.  I was tired that morning.”  Dino sat on the couch with a knowing smile.  I didn’t want to think about that.  That was so unlikely of me to do.  “So, what’s on the agenda today?”  Dino asked me. 

“Nothing.” 

“Sounds good to me.  I brought snacks on the way.  Squalo told me these are your favorite.”  I took the bag and looked inside. 

“For someone like him, he’s awfully good at remembering mundane things.”  I commented, taking a chocolate bar out.

“Knowing someone’s favorite snacks isn’t something mundane.  It means he knows you well.” 

“No.  These are the ones I tell him to get and the only ones I got when he was with me.”  I unwrapped the chocolate and started eating it.  “Hey, Dino?” 

“Yeah?” 

“When you’re dealing with a big problem, where do you start?” 

“What do you mean?”  He questioned.

“If you had an argument with someone very close, where would you start to mend that relationship?” 

“Squalo told me you just went and disappeared in Tokyo.  I’m sure you’re worried about what Xanxus thinks.  Knowing him, you just need to pout and everything will be alright.”  Dino replied with a warm smile.

“It’s not about Xanxus.”  I said sadly. 

Dino was confused but tried to help me.  “Well, you’d just have to start from the beginning.” 

“And if you’re scared of going to the beginning?”  I asked quietly.

“I don’t know.  I’ve always had someone forcing me to do it.  Though, it did make me feel much better after I went through it.”  I sighed heavily and finished my first snack.  This would be a long process.  “Why did you leave Xanxus?”  Dino asked out of the blue.

“Enough was enough.  I was using them too much as an emotional crutch.” 

“And you’re dealing with everything alone?”  I made a noise of agreement.  “You can’t face things by yourself.  Sometimes, you need someone by your side.” 

“I’ll be fine.  This is something I need to do by myself.”  I replied.  I didn’t want anyone with me.  I didn’t want anyone to know my past. 

“Shiori…” 

“I’m sorry, Dino.” 

“It’s alright.  I know how hard it is for you to trust someone.”  He replied softly.

“You wouldn’t even know the struggle.” 

“You’re probably right.  So, what will you do first?” 

“The only thing I can do is go to the very beginning of everything.  I guess I just needed someone to tell me to do it.”  I said.

“If you need anything, even if it’s just company, I’ll be here.” 

“Thank you.”

When Dino left, I went to the hospital.  Dad was still in bed, not moving an inch.  They had him hooked up to many machines to help him live.  It was mind-numbing to see him.  Shamal walked in with his report. 

“He’s the same as the last time you came to see him.” 

“Do you think he’ll survive by next week?”  I asked.

“Yes, but anything can happen.”

I wrote my number down on paper and handed it to him.  “Call me if anything changes in the slightest.” 

“Will you be out of the area?” 

“Yes.”  I stood and left the room and went straight to the train station. 

I’d be in Kyoto in two hours.  My leg shook the entire way from nerves.  I wanted to go back home, but I needed to do this.  If I couldn’t face this, I wouldn’t be able to face what happened in Tokyo.  The train finally stopped.  I got off and went off the beaten path.  The path I was looking for was hidden behind a building and a few bushes that were planted to keep people out.  This path was one I used to take all the time for months.  It used to be full of students.  Now, the only things on the path were toriis and nature.  I stared at the stairs leading towards the final torii.  At the top, I saw a tall, broken down building.  Nature had already gone and overtaken the entire thing.  Even when I used to go here all the time, the building looked like it was going to be swallowed by the forest.  It’s what happens when years pass.

“It’s about time you came back.  At least, that’s what you’d say to me.”  My former school stood in front of me with all its glory.  “I’m here, Kanade.”


	15. Chapter 15

My old middle school changed drastically.  The once tall, proud building now had cracks everywhere.  The closer I got, the more my anxiety rose.  The inside didn’t change one bit.  The halls had a stale smell to them from the years of being left alone.  It wasn’t even that cold thanks to the lifeless vines that wrapped around the exterior which insulated the building.  I walked to my old shoe locker and saw my name was still there.  Kanade’s locker was next to mine.  I opened it and saw dead flowers.  Some fell out from being packed inside.

“You never really liked flowers.”  I stated.

I closed it and went down the hall.  The classrooms were all a mess.  Papers, books, and utensils were scattered.  Everyone was ordered to leave and never come back.  It’s not a surprise why things were messy.  I walked up one floor.  The school had six levels that included a basement.  For Kanade, the roof was the seventh level.  It was her escape from the world.  It eventually became my escape after meeting her.  I could still remember her bright personality and harsh words.  She always kept her black hair in a low, messy bun.  Her eyes were a sparkling green that matched the forest that surrounded us.  She was my best friend and the only friend I’ve ever had. 

“To be honest, I’m still confused why I’m still alive.”  I looked out a window and kept walking up to the next floor.

This one had our classroom.  I walked to the familiar door and opened it.  The stench of decay hit me.  It came from the abundance of dead flowers on Kanade’s desk.  It looked like a bush of flowers on top of the desk that spilled over onto the chair and floor.  I walked to me desk and saw writing.  Even time couldn’t erase those hateful words.  Everyone loved Kanade.  When she died, I became everyone’s target. 

“An eye for an eye.  A life for a life.  Time’s up, murderer.”  I read some of the words on my desk.  “Don’t worry.  My past will creep up on me and tear my body to shreds.  Everyone will get their revenge.”  I said to the desk full of flowers.  I took out a small wooden box.  When I opened it, a melody played, echoing throughout the room.  It was Kanade’s favorite song and one she’d always sing to me. 

“I hope you’re at rest.”  I left the room and sighed. 

I shook my head and kept going up until I made it to the roof.  This was where we’d be most of the time.  We’d eat lunch and do our homework here.  The fence that used to stand was broken and rusted.  Faded police tape blew in the wind. 

“This is it, the seventh level.” 

Tied to the fence was Kanade’s black scarf next to my red scarf.  It hadn’t moved since we tied it there all those years back.  “Kanade…”  I sat in front of the scarf and touched it.  It had lost the softness it once had.  My eyes burned. 

“It’s hard, you know?  I can’t see you, hear your brash voice, or even feel your hand on my shoulder anymore.” 

I stuffed my face into the scarf.  I’d never get that moment back.  I’ll never get you back, Kanade.  “Everyone thought you were happy, but I knew how you really felt.  You were abused by your family.  Even when you were put with another family, they still took advantage of you.  The only thing that made you feel better was being around me.  That’s why you stayed in school.  I kept you sane the same way you kept me sane.”  I looked through the remnants of the fence. 

“No matter what I said, no one believed me.  They were blinded by grief to see the truth.”  Tears were falling down my cheeks.  I couldn’t stop them.  My grip on the scarf tightened.  “Because I lived, I’m destined to be punished for the rest of my life.”  I stood and walked to the edge.  This was where we were years ago. 

“Stop!”  I gasped from surprise.  I thought I was alone.  I turned and saw a guy that looked familiar.  “No way.  Shiori?” 

“Kazuma?”  Kazuma was one of my classmates when I went here.  He ran over and dragged me away from the edge. 

“What the hell were you thinking?  You may have survived the first time, but you probably won’t survive the second.” 

“I wasn’t going to jump.”  I said quietly.

“After what you and Kanade did that day, I don’t think I could believe you.” 

“I really wasn’t.”  I said before silence overcame the rooftop.

“You cut your hair.  I’ve only seen you with really long hair, so seeing it short is weird.”  He played with my hair. 

“I have my reasons.” 

“So, if you didn’t come here to jump, what did you come here to do?”  He asked curiously.

“I came to face my past.”  I explained.

“Face it?  What do you have to face?” 

“I haven’t been able to accept anything.” 

He hummed and nodded.  “Seems legit.  Since you’re here, let’s go eat.  I’m hungry.” 

“Huh?” 

“Let’s go, Shiori.”  I couldn’t give an answer.  Kazuma immediately started to drag me all the way down the stairs with a solid grip.  “You know, Kanade and I dated.”  He said out of the blue. 

“What?  You don’t seem like her type.” 

“That’s what she thought too.  Other than you, I knew what bothered her and how she thought.”  His voice was serious.  His grip on my wrist tightened.

“You should have pushed me off then.” 

“I know you didn’t do it, Shiori.” 

I tensed up.  “How?” 

“I found her journal after you disappeared from town.  If she didn’t write about the abuse, she talked about her sunshine.” 

“I see.” 

When we got down to the last floor, Kazuma went to my old shoe locker and opened it.  To my surprise, there were many letters were piled inside.  “What’s all of this?”  I asked.

“They’re letters to you from everyone.  Once everyone realized you wouldn’t have pushed her, they all wrote letters hoping you’d come back.” 

“And years later, here I am.”  Kazuma took out a plastic bag and filled it with the letters.  There were even flowers in there. 

“We were focused on Kanade that we didn’t realize you were the one that needed help just as much as her.  You needed help and we all turned our backs on you.  Unlike everyone else, I saw the whole thing.  Kanade told me not to go to school that day, but I came anyway.  That’s when I saw you two.”  Kazuma explained.  I stared at the floor.  I couldn’t believe what was happening.  “She loved you, Shiori.  She loved you more than she loved everyone in the world.  Knowing Kanade, dying alone would be too painful.  I knew at that time you wanted the same thing, but she didn’t want that for you.” 

“How are you so sure about that?”  I asked.

Kazuma handed me a notebook.  “This is her journal.  Take it.” 

“Why?  Why do you even have it on you?” 

“I always have it on me to read it from time to time.  My wounds have all healed, but yours are far from closing.  It’ll help.” 

“Thank you.”  I took it and held it close to my chest. 

“I’m serious about eating, though.  I haven’t eaten in hours.” 

“I guess lunch wouldn’t hurt.”  I said with a small smile.

“Wonderful!  This way!”  A few minutes later, we were at a rather large place.  “It’ll be my treat.  Get anything you want.” 

“Okay.” 

We went to a local diner and sat down.  A waitress handed us menus.  I looked through it and could feel my mouth fill with saliva.  I didn’t want to break his wallet.  Xanxus is the only one that can pay to fill me.

“Go ahead and get as much as you want.  I’m aware of your black hole stomach.”  Kazuma said with a big smile.  Kanade must have written something in her journal about it.

I sighed and gave in.  “I’ll get the large beef bowl set.” 

He whistled.  “When Kanade wrote about how much you could eat, I couldn’t believe it.  I can’t wait for the food to get here to see if you can handle the beef set.” 

Twenty minutes have passed.  I was in the middle of my meal while Kazuma just watched with awe.  “Kazuma?”  We turned and saw a girl around out age. 

“Hey, Tsubasa, look who I ran into.” 

She looked at me.  “Who is she?” 

“You don’t recognize her?  It’s Shiori.” 

Her eyes widened.  “No way!  It can’t be.”  She got right in my face.  “Yup.  It’s Shiori alright.” 

“You’re being creepy as usual, Tsubasa.”  Kazuma said with a dull expression. 

“Shiori never jumps or flinches when anyone gets right in her face.  She’s the only one I know that’s like that.  How’ve you been?  It’s been years.”  Her deep blue hair was put in a braid that hung off her left shoulder.  Her glasses perfectly framed her brown eyes. 

“I’ve been as well as I can be.”  I replied.

“Have you been doing anything interesting lately?”  Tsubasa asked, pushing Kazuma to the side to sit. 

“Well, I was in a play in Tokyo.  I happened to get one of the lead roles.” 

“Really?  Our class was in Tokyo to see a play recently.  What character did you play?”  She asked.

“I was Bern the witch of miracles.” 

Their eyes widened, Kazuma choked on his food.  “That was you?!”  They shouted with shock.  They were getting everyone’s attention. 

“Keep it down.  You’re bothering everyone.”  I scolded. 

“I can’t believe it.  You’re not the type of person to be on stage.”  Kazuma said, leaning back into the booth. 

“Seriously!  Out of everyone in the world, I wouldn’t have guessed the quiet, cute book nerd would want all that attention.”  Tsubasa added.

“I was just as surprised, but my club members helped me.”  I said.

“What club are you a part of?”  Kazuma asked.

“Archery.”  The two looked at each other and smiled brightly.  “Why are you two being weird?”  I took another bite. 

“You’ve changed a lot, Shiori.”  Kazuma said.

“It’s to be expected with time.” 

“You’re almost the opposite person you were in middle school.”  Kazuma said happily. 

“Did you make any friends?”  Tsubasa asked me. 

I hummed in thought.  I guess I could count Xanxus and his group of strange people.  “I guess I have.  They’re strange though.” 

“It doesn’t matter how strange friends are.  The stranger the better in my opinion.”  Tsubasa was absolutely shining like the sun.  “I have to go.  I’ll see you two around.”  She ran out of the restaurant. 

“What’s her problem?”  I asked. 

“It’s Tsubasa.  She got even more energy over the years.” 

“I never thought it’d be possible.”  Kazuma laughed at my words. 

When I finished my meal, I gave a sigh of content.  The food was just as delicious as I remembered.  “Damn you can eat.” 

“I’m a black hole for a reason.” 

Kazuma and I walked around Kyoto.  It was fairly peaceful and for some reason, my heart felt a little bit lighter.  “There you are.”  We saw Kazuma’s parents.  “I thought you’d be at the school and not with some girl.”  His dad teased.  “Would you like to introduce us?”  His mother asked.

“Guys, this is Shiori.  She was my classmate a few years ago.  You should remember her.”  They looked at me.  Their eyes slowly widened. 

“How could we have forgotten?  You’ve changed so much, dear.”  Kazuma’s mother said sweetly.

“It must have been the short hair.  No one seems to recognize me.”  I said nervously, playing with a strand of my hair.

“I’m glad you came back for a visit.  If you don’t have a place to stay tonight, you’re more than welcome to stay at our house.” 

“Thank you.  I might just take you up on that offer.” 

Dino went back to Shiori’s the next day to check up on her.  Reborn and Tsuna were also worried about her.  They didn’t know if she’d do anything with her father in the hospital.  Squalo was inside, sitting at the table.  “Squalo?” 

“Where is she?” 

She wasn’t home.  Did the Hibari come and kidnap her?  “I don’t know.  What are you doing here?”  Dino asked.

“Call her!”  Dino called her number after Squalo yelled. 

“Hello?”  Shiori sounded out of it. 

“Where are you?”  Dino said in a loud, worried voice.

“It’s too early in the morning, Dino.  Shut up.  I’m in Kyoto.”  Shiori’s voice was groggy and irritated.

“What are you doing there?” 

“I’m visiting.” 

“Who’s that, Shiori?”  A man’s voice asked. 

“Get away from her, dumbass!  Let Shiori be!”  A woman’s voice yelled.  Shiori groaned. 

“You sound like you’re having fun.”  Dino commented. 

“Fun is the wrong and complete opposite word to describe this.” 

“I was worried.  You didn’t tell me you were going anywhere.” 

“I don’t need to tell you where I’m going.”  She said.  The two voices gasped. 

“Is he your boyfriend?”  The woman asked.

Shiori let out a gasp.  “T-there’s no way I’d date anyone like that idiot!”  Her voice was higher pitched and a lot different than usual.  It surprised Dino and Squalo but it was a pleasant surprise. 

“I’d never date you, Shiori.  I’m sure Xanxus wouldn’t allow it.  He might just kill me.” 

“Xanxus?”  The woman said. 

“That’s an Italian name.  Shiori, are you with an Italian man?”  The man asked. 

At this point, Shiori was making noises of embarrassment.  It took Dino all he had to not laugh.  Shiori would be mad and tell Xanxus to hunt him down.  “You’re adorable, Shiori.  It’s much different than what we remember.  You wouldn’t even make a single peep.” 

“Tsubasa!  Leave me alone!” 

“If it makes you react like this, I’ll never leave you alone.” 

“I’ll call you back.”  Shiori said in an irritated tone before hanging up. 

“Well?”  Dino looked over at Squalo who was sitting on Shiori’s couch.  “She’s having fun with friends.” 

“We’re her only friends.”  Squalo said.

“They’re friends from years ago.  Don’t be too jealous, Squalo.” 

“I’m not jealous.” 

“So, why are you here?” 

“Xanxus lost his connection with Shiori and sent me to see if she was still alive.” 

“As you heard, she’s still very much alive.”  Dino said cheerfully.

Squalo knew something was wrong the second he entered the house.  It was empty and cold.  “Dino, what’s going on with Shiori?”  Squalo asked with a type of seriousness Dino’s never heard from him in years.

“What do you mean?” 

“Why does the house feel so empty?” 

Dino immediately shrunk.  “I’m not sure if you’ll like it, Squalo.” 

“Just tell me.” 

“You can’t tell anyone or let Shiori you know about this.” 

“Why not?” 

“If you tell Xanxus, he will come to Japan and create a massacre.”  Dino said.

Squalo hesitated.  “I promise.” 

Dino nodded.  “Shiori’s father was attacked by the family that’s after her.  Right now, he’s in a coma.  The probability of him waking up is slim and the possibility of death is almost certain.  We’re hoping for the best and that may be waiting for him to die peacefully in his sleep.” 

Squalo’s eyes widened.  Those people were going to break Shiori any and every way possible.  First, they brainwashed her mother into hating them and now this?  Squalo couldn’t even express what he was feeling.  “And she’s in Kyoto?  Why isn’t she by her dad’s side?”  Squalo snapped.

“I think it might be what we talking about the other day.  She’s facing her past.”  Dino said.

“Alone?” 

“I’m not sure.” 

Squalo left Shiori’s house and went to the hospital.  He saw Shamal in the hall.  Their surprised eyes locked with each other.  “Squalo?  What’s the Varia doing here?” 

“I’m looking for someone.” 

“Who?” 

“Do you know Shiori Mori?”  Squalo asked.

“What about her?”  Shamal was cautious.  Squalo wasn’t one to visit anyone other than Xanxus in the hospital. 

“I’m looking for her father.”  

“I won’t allow you to kill him.  I don’t care if you were paid by the Hibari family.”  Shamal didn’t know the Hibari would go to the Vongola to get a single civilian man assassinated.

“I’m not going to kill him.” 

This surprised Shamal.  “What’s your reasoning to see him?”  He asked.

“I want to see what those bastards did to him.” 

Shamal let Squalo follow him into the room.  Squalo walked to the bed and saw how broken he was.  His clenched fist shook.  “How do you know him?”  Shamal questioned.

“You can’t let anyone know of the Varia’s relationship with Shiori.” 

Shamal’s eyes widened.  “Does she know you’re an assassin?  Does she know about the Vongola?” 

“I’m not too sure.  We never speak about the family or our jobs.”  Squalo answered honestly.  He had no idea.  They all made sure none of them would leave a single trace for Shiori to find.  Shiori must be torn.  She shouldn’t be in Kyoto.  She should be here. 

“Will you do anything?”  Shamal asked.

“I can’t.  It’s something she needs to deal with.” 

“And if she gets injured?” 

“I don’t know.”  Silence filled the room as Shamal did his daily checkup.  “Will he die?”  Squalo asked.

“The best that can happen is he’ll die from a heart attack and go in his sleep.  He can’t feel any pain right now.” 

“How did Shiori handle it?”  Squalo asked, keeping his eyes on Shiori’s dad.

“She handled better than she should have.  I’m worried about her.”  Shamal admitted.

“She’ll be fine.” 

“How are you sure?” 

“It’s Shiori.  She’s strong.”  That’s what Squalo wanted to believed.  However, there was a soft, cruel voice in the back of his head telling him she wouldn’t be alright.  She’ll be alone and unpredictable.  No one would know what she’d do.

Kazuma and I went back to the school.  “This is it.”  In front of me was a grave stone.  It was behind the school itself.  It was Kanade’s grave.  She’s buried underneath where I stood.  I wasn’t able to go to her funeral because I was recovering in the hospital.  Even when I was discharged months later, I refused to visit.  I didn’t want to face the truth.

“I didn’t expect her grave to be at the school.”  I said softly.  I crouched down and touched the gravestone.  It was cold.

“She wrote down what she wanted the night before.”  Kazuma said.

“I see.”  Where would I have wanted to be buried?  I guess I never gave much thought about it like Kanade did.  Though, she was always a planner. 

“Did you have everything planned out like Kanade?”  Kazuma asked. 

“All I wanted on that day was to die with my best friend.  Nothing else mattered.” 

“Do you still feel that way now?”  He asked.

“I’m not sure anymore.  During the days I can’t wait for tomorrow, I feel guilty.  I feel like I should want to die.” 

“For Kanade’s sake?”  I nodded.  Kazuma crouched next to me.  “I don’t think she would have held you just for you two to be in each other’s arms.  I can’t speak for Kanade, but I don’t think she wanted you to die.  It’s why she spun you two so you’d have some chance of survival.”  Kazuma explained.

“Why do you think that?” 

He hesitated to speak.  That bothered me even more.  “Kanade didn’t tell you the whole story.” 

“Huh?” 

“I think it’s better if you were to read her journal yourself.”  What did Kanade not tell me?  It must be big if Kazuma thinks she saved my life. 

Dino was waiting for me at home, but I doubted he’d actually stay.  It was already pretty late.  I don’t know why he wanted to stay, but I still allowed it.  He’d probably be questioning me about everything that happened.  I wasn’t prepared for the questions. 

“Welcome back.”  Dino greeted as soon as I walked in. 

“You’re still here?”  I questioned.

“It’s always nice to have someone welcoming you home.  How was Kyoto?” 

“Draining.”  I set the bag on the coffee table.  It was filled with letters that my classmates wrote me. 

“Did you take care of what you wanted to take care of?”  Dino asked.

“I sort of did.”  He handed me some chocolate I’ve never seen before.  “What’s this?” 

“Squalo came by looking for you and dropped this off.  He said you’d probably like it.”  Squalo probably had business and swung by to see how I was.  At least he didn’t hate me for leaving unexpectedly.  I wonder if the rest feel the same.  I took the chocolate. 

“Thank you.” 

“Where did you get that scarf?”  Dino asked in reference to the black scarf around my neck.

“It belonged to a friend of mine.” 

Dino seemed surprised.  “You have a friend you’re willing to call a friend?” 

“Shut up and yes.”  I sat down and took a bite of the chocolate.  It was dark chocolate with an orange crème on the inside.  It instantly made me relax. 

“Is your friend one of the two I heard on the phone?” 

“No.  They’re too annoying.”  Tsubasa made sure to see me off.  She wouldn’t stop hugging me and gave me a muffin from her family’s bakery.  Kazuma gave me some of Kanade’s possessions. 

“You look down.  What’s wrong?  It can’t possibly be the chocolate.” 

“It’s a personal matter.”  I responded.

“Do you want to talk about it?  You can be as vague as possible.” 

“Will you tell anyone?”  I asked. 

“Nope.” 

“Are you sure?  Squalo and Xanxus could make you talk.” 

Dino smiled like the idiot he is.  “While that is true, I doubt they’ll ask.  If they do, I’ll give them a fake answer.” 

“If they hear about this, I’ll send scary people after you, Dino.” 

He instantly paled.  He knew I’d do it.  “Yes, ma’am.” 

I took a deep breath.  “I used to have a friend.  She was my best and only friend.  She could see through me unlike everyone else.  There was no one else who was like her.”  It was hard to say her name.  The word stopped from coming out.  “She…Kanade jumped.” 

Dino’s face stayed neutral.  “I’m sorry, Shiori.” 

“The world hated her just like it hated me.  Sure, we faced different things, but we felt safe with each other.  She was the only one that knew what happened to me.  She was the only one I could trust.  She didn’t think I was a monster.  I still can’t get over her death.” 

“Why?”  He asked.

“I thought I knew everything about her, but I was wrong.” 

“What did you find out?”  Dino’s voice was calming and didn’t make me feel anxious. 

I put the journal on the table.  “This was her journal.  She wanted me to have this.  I don’t know what’s written in here or what I’ll read.  I don’t know if I can even open it.  I’ll probably be more confused than I already am.”

“Just take it one entry at a time.  Don’t force yourself to read the entire thing.”  Dino encouraged.

“I don’t think I can.  This has hung over my shoulder for years.  Only now people are apologizing to me.”  Dino stayed silent.  “I’m going to see dad.” 

“Call if you need me, Shiori.  We’ll all be here for you.”  I wasn’t too sure about that.  I’m not sure if everyone would be there.  “Shiori.”  I looked up at Dino.  “They’re worried about you too.” 

“Huh?” 

“I’m learning how to read your expressions.  Squalo hasn’t caught on yet.” 

I gave him a small smile.  “Where he lacks, you excel.” 

“Wait.  Is that an insult?” 

“Yes.”


	16. Chapter 16

It was late at night when I went to the hospital.  Visitor hours were over, but Shamal would let me in.  I brought the letters and the journal with me to read.  I wanted to spend as much time as possible with dad.  Knowing he wouldn’t be waking up hurt, but at least he can’t feel any pain.  Someone was walking behind me, keeping their distance.  This wasn’t what I wanted to deal with right now.  I let out a sigh and kept walking. 

“Stop.”  It was Kyoya.  I stopped in my track.  He walked closer to me.  “You’re out late without an adult.” 

“I’m sorry.  The only adult I know is in the hospital thanks to your father.” 

“How’s your hand?”  I guess his father was a subject he wanted to ignore. 

“It’s completely healed.  Not even a scar is left.”  There was a small silence between us.  “I know it’s out of my place to say, but what gives you a right to punish me for breaking the same law you’re also breaking.  Does your father’s name give you a reason to act above the law?”  I asked.  He didn’t answer me.  I put my hands out.  “Oh well.  I broke the law.  Go ahead and punish me, Hibari.  It’s what your father wants, right?”  I waited for the incoming pain.  When no pain came, I put my hands down.  Why wasn’t he going to punish me? 

“Why is my father obsessed with you?”  He asked. 

“He’s obsessed with me?  That’s the first I’ve heard that.” 

“Don’t give me that.”  Kyoya said with a cold tone.  “You know he’s obsessed with you.  I want to know why.” 

“I have no idea, Hibari.  You’re his son.  Ask him.”  I said.

“He said you broke the law and made him mad.” 

I let out a small laugh.  “I’m glad.”  Knowing I made him mad filled me with pleasure.

“What?” 

I turned and faced Kyoya.  “Your uncle said I wouldn’t be able to escape Kyoto, but I did.  They told me I wouldn’t escape their men and yet I’m still here.  They won’t get their end goal.  I won’t allow it.”  I said with a dark expression.

“They destroyed your family and put your father in a coma he’ll never wake from.  Are you not bothered?  Do you feel anything about what’s happening to you?” 

I smiled brightly.  “Do you think tearing my family apart would bother me?  That makes me laugh.  I’m only hurt over my father’s impending death.  Once he’s gone, I have no one in this world.  I’d rather kill myself than let your family capture me.  I know your father wants to see me struggle with pain, but I won’t allow him to get that satisfaction.”  I’ve done it once.  I won’t hesitate to do it again. 

“You’re a coward.”  He said.  He thought I was like everyone else in this town.

“Didn’t I already prove I’m not one?”  I questioned.

“You only cut yourself.  There’s no way you’d give up your life.” 

I walked to him, keeping the same smile.  He immediately tensed up.  “I’m not going to hurt you, Hibari.  I have no reason to.  Plus, I’m not too keen on hurting people that don’t deserve it.” 

“That nature of yours makes you an herbivore.  That’s why you’ll fail in this world.” 

“That’s cute.”  He didn’t like that.  “You think I’m a coward, an herbivore.  You say I wouldn’t kill myself.  I just can’t help but want to laugh.”  I held my hand out the same way Kanade did to me that fateful day.  “Would you like to escape this world together?  After all, suffering in hell is better together.”  I added the last part there just for an extra something.  It was quite effective. 

Kyoya didn’t know what to do.  I got even closer where our bodies were pressed together.  “I’ve already jumped once and survived.”  I admitted in a soft whisper.  I heard him gasp.  “I’m friends with the grim reaper.  He’s made me suffer a lot more than whatever your family is capable of.”  I wrapped my hands around his waist and let my hands wander over his back, my nails tickling him.  He was terrified to the point he wouldn’t move. 

“When the time comes, you’ll see how beautifully my blood will splatter everywhere.  It’ll cover the entire floor.  And if you’re lucky, it’ll get on all the walls and ceiling.  I might even get on you, Hibari.  Isn’t that just wonderful?  I’ll stain you, your uncle, and your father with my ugly blood.  I hope my body will be destroyed where I’m no longer recognizable.  That’ll be a wish come true.”  His breath was uneven.  Good.  “What do you think, Hibari?  Doesn’t that sound absolutely wonderful?”  He went to speak, but all that came out was his breath.  Poor guy didn’t have a reaction. 

When I let go, he dropped to the ground.  “Let’s keep this between us, alright?  I know what would happen if you tell anyone and I’m sure you don’t want to know.  As long as you just do this one little thing for me, we won’t have a little run in.” 

He looked at me with wide eyes.  His body was shaking.  I probably went a little over board, but it was nice to see him all shaken up.  I let out an airy laugh.  “You look like an herbivore, Hibari.  I can see why your family likes to be the ones in control.  It’s fun.  Well, I need to get going.  You’ve wasted precious time.” 

I left him on the ground.  My lips contorted into a sadistic smile.  I could feel myself start to bubble with happiness.  I’m not quite sure what that emotion I felt is, but it felt good.  I welcomed it.  At the hospital, dad was still sleeping peacefully.  I sat down and stared at him. 

“I’m back, dad.”  I took a hold of his hand.  “I’m sorry for everything.  It’s my fault.  If I didn’t survive the accident, you’d be awake and happier with mom.”  I took a deep breath.  “I’m…starting to feel strange again.  I feel like screaming and laughing at the top of my lungs with madness.  I want to hurt people again.  I want to hear them scream.  Soon, I’m afraid I won’t have control of myself.”  The only response I got was his soft breathing. 

“I saw Kanade.  I’m finally facing it.  I’m sure you’d be proud of me.  You were the one that encouraged me to see her grave before we left Kyoto.  I was stubborn and refused.  I didn’t want to see her like that.  My classmates wrote me apology letters and put them in my old shoe locker.  They were hoping I’d go back.” 

I sighed and gripped his hand tighter.  “It took a few years, but I went back.  I met up with two of them.  They said I changed and how I’m the opposite of how I used to be.  I’m not sure how or if I even changed.  You were the only one that believed me when I told you I didn’t push her.  You knew I wanted to perish that day.  I’m sorry for worrying you and making you sad.  I’m sorry I couldn’t come to you when I should have.  I saw it broke you and mom when you both saw me.  I just felt safe with Kanade at the time.  We were both facing different hells.  The pain stopped when we were together.  We wanted to permanently stop the pain together.” 

I leaned on the bed and put my head on dad’s arm.  It felt good to be like this.  It reminded me when I was a kid.  We’d go stargazing until I fell asleep in his arms.  I smiled and took in his scent.  He still smelled of the cologne he always wore.  I didn’t want him to die.  I didn’t want to be alone.  I hated it, but it’s something I’d never admit.  I really broke after Kanade died.  Dad knew and always helped whether it was by letting me cry on his shoulder or keeping his distance.  He’d always make sure I ate and went outside.  He knew me being in my room the entire time would be psychologically bad.  I’d say my life is full of tragedy, but there were some good things that came along the way.  I had everyone in Tokyo, even Nikita and her men.  Then, there was Xanxus and his friends.  I even made amends with some people from my previous school.  I also had all these adventures in different countries.  I’m not sure if the good outweighs the bad.  Especially now, I can’t tell the difference between good and evil.  I just wanted this nightmare to end. 

Shamal went to the hospital and did his daily routine of checking on his patients.  When he entered his special patient’s room, he saw Shiori sleeping, using her father’s arm as a pillow.  Despite her being calm about her father’s condition, she was hurting inside.  Shamal got a blanket and covered her up.  He checked Shiori’s father.  There was no change in his health.  It was good, but it wasn’t getting better.  At least it wasn’t getting worse.  It’d be too much on Shiori’s mental health right now if her father took a turn for the worse.  The door opened.  Shamal turned and was surprised to see Dino. 

“You know Shiori?”  Shamal asked him.

“Who’s that?”  Dino asked.

Shamal narrowed his eyes.  “Dino, you entered the room.  Plus, Squalo was here a few nights ago.  I shouldn’t be that surprised you know her.” 

Dino shut the door behind him.  “I only came to see if she was alright.  She didn’t come home last night.” 

“You’re staying with her?” 

“I’m leaving tomorrow, but when I’m in Japan, I stay with Shiori.  I’ve known what’s been going on for a while.  Squalo told me to protect her with me life or else he’d kill me.”  Dino was too happy about that.  Dino walked over to Shiori and wrapped the blanket around her tighter than Shamal did.  “She’ll get sick if her stomach is cold.  She may not voice it, but she loves the warmth.” 

“You know an awful lot about her.  Are you taking advantage of her?”  Shamal asked.

“I like life, Shamal.  I just know because it’s what she and Squalo told me.” 

“Is Squalo taking advantage of her?” 

Dino let out a small laugh.  “He also likes to live, Shamal.” 

“Who’s threatening all of you?” 

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Kyoya woke up in a panic.  His heart wouldn’t stop pounding.  Did he have a nightmare?  How did he even get home?  “It’s about time.”  He turned to his uncle.

“Uncle?” 

“You passed out in the street.  You felt like you were running a fever.  Have you been neglecting your health?  Your immune system isn’t as strong as your body.”  Kyoya never quite understood his uncle.  One minute he tortured people, and another minute, he’s worrying about everything.  However, he got along with his uncle more than his father. 

“I don’t know.  I can’t remember what happened.”  Kyoya said.  He knew Shiori talked to him.  It was the longest he’s ever heard her speak, but he couldn’t exactly remember what was said.  The look in her eyes was maddening.  It made him feel uneasy thinking about it. 

“You should take the day off and rest.” 

“I’m fine.” 

Kyoya’s uncle put a hand on his forehead.  “You’re too warm.  Stay and I won’t tell your father about you letting Shiori go last night.” 

“You were watching?” 

“I was.  If your father didn’t hate her, I’d invite her for tea.  She’s wonderful to have a conversation with.”  Kyoya’s uncle replied with a smile.

“Why is he obsessed with her?”  Kyoya asked. 

“She’s a bird that sings a tune he doesn’t like.  I know you don’t agree with your father.  If this was a different situation, I’d tell him to knock it off.  I’m not too keen on what he’s doing either.” 

“You were the one that gave the order to torture her father.”  Kyoya grimaced with distaste.  Sure, he was cruel, but he saw Shiori as someone harmless.  Her father should still be awake and not in a coma.  He was an innocent bystander.

“I did.  He pissed me off with his words.  I see where Shiori got that habit of hers.” 

“You didn’t have to take it that far.”  Kyoya said.

“You do realize that she’s an active threat to the family, right?  For that, she needs to be punished.  She stabbed one of our men and severely bruised more.  She isn’t what you think, Kyoya.”  He didn’t want to believe it, but that look in her eyes last night told him she could do it.  “I know you’re confused.  Just trust me when I say Shiori isn’t a good person.  Sure, your father is taking things a little too far, but it can’t be helped.”  Kyoya’s uncle felt stuck in the middle.

“And if she kills someone?  What then?”  Kyoya asked.

“We kill her.” 

Kyoya knew it was useless.  She was willing and prepared to kill herself if they went for her.  How did she survive from jumping?  It should be impossible.  Kyoya laid back down.  His head was starting to hurt. 

“See?  Just thinking about her is enough for your head to hurt.  Rest.  I’ll have someone cover your shift.  A maid should be here to give you tea and soup later on.  Stop thinking about her.  Your father’s word is absolute.  Remember that.  Going against him in any way is a death sentence.  It doesn’t matter if you are his son and only heir.” 

Kyoya saw his uncle leave the room.  This whole situation was a headache.  However, he knew better than to go against his father’s word.  Kyoya still remembered his mother being slapped for speaking her opinion.  It terrified Kyoya and made him instantly listen to his father’s word.  If his father wanted Shiori killed and sent him, he’d do it without hesitation.

It’s been almost a month.  I’ve only read the apology letters and refused to touch Kanade’s journal.  I’d take glimpses of a couple of words, but I wouldn’t actually take the time to read it.  I was still scared for what I’d end up reading.  It was the end of class.  Everyone was leaving school in pairs.  Kanade would hold my hand and drag me to the roof to watch everyone leave.  I left the classroom and saw Kyoya.  He just stared at me, keeping his distance.  He must be uneasy about me.  I walked right passed him and left.  At the gate, a woman with long hair who wore a Chinese dress with a white jacket was leaning against the concrete wall.  My stomach instantly curdled.  Keeping my calm, I walked right by her.  That’s when I felt rope being tied around my body, keeping me constrained.  I fell to the ground and looked up at the woman.  She held a large, curved knife in her hand. 

“You help me now with information.”  She said in broken Japanese. 

“I’m not part of it anymore.” 

“Bullshit.  You come with me.”  She started dragging me.  I groaned at the situation but was thankful no one from school saw me.  Unfortunately, one of my classmates saw me.  It was Tsuna.  His mouth just dropped to the floor. 

“Shiori!”  We stopped and looked at him. 

“Yes?” 

“W-what’s happening?”  He asked.

“Oh, puny Japanese boy wants to die.  She’s my helper.”  Tsuna paled and took three steps back. 

“Leave him be, Chinglish.”  I said with slight irritation.

She clicked her tongue.  “This is why I hate that bitch.”  She started to walk again.  I just had to accept my fate and go along with her.  There wasn’t much I could do anyway.

Tsuna watched as Shiori was dragged down the road.  That woman who was dragging her seemed more dangerous than anyone he’s met.  She could rival Reborn’s presence when he was angry and she didn’t seem to look angry at all.  How did Shiori know her? 

“Tsuna.” 

“Ah!  Reborn, what are you doing?” 

“Don’t ever talk to that woman.”  Reborn warned.

“Why?” 

“She’s one of China’s best assassins.” 

“What?!” 

“The Hibari family must have hired her to take Shiori out.” 

“She’s going to die?”  Tsuna said with disbelief.

“You can’t do anything to stop her.  She won’t hesitate to kill you.”  Tsuna was terrified.  Why was Shiori being targeted?  “I know you want to save her, but it’s too late.” 

“Reborn…” 

“There are times when things like this will happen.  Shiori’s fate has been sealed.” 

“And if she survives?” 

“No one survives her, Tsuna.  Even I make sure to keep my distance from her at all costs.”  If Reborn was scared of her, she’s worse than what Tsuna initially thought.  “I’m not scared of her.  I’m cautious.”  Reborn said, reading Tsuna’s mind like usual.

“If you knew she was so dangerous, why didn’t you stop me from talking to her?”  Tsuna asked.

“She knows me and wants to kill me for fun since no one has been able to yet.”  Tsuna paled and yelled.  He couldn’t think straight. 

“She said she needed Shiori to be her helper.  She won’t die!”  Tsuna tried to reason.

“She will.  She uses that line all the time when she’s making someone disappear.”  Reborn said.  He wasn’t joking either.

“Reborn!” 

The building I was being dragged into was dark.  My eyes adjusted just fine after a few minutes.  “So, who paid you to take me out?”  I asked. 

“Take you out?  You’re stupid like that bitch.  I wouldn’t do that to Nikita.” 

You see, Chen here was hired by Nikita a bunch of times to see what she could do.  She and Yuko would always butt heads.  Calling her Chinglish distracted her from what she was doing for a split second.  This is her only weakness.  I was thrown into a bright room.  “My eyes.”  I groaned.

“Good job on retrieving her, Chen.” 

I shot up and saw Nikita smoking one of her cigars on the couch.  “Nikita?” 

“You’re probably wondering why I sent Chen to retrieve you.” 

“Am I in trouble?”  I asked.

“In a sense, yes.”  She took a puff.  “The people who kidnapped you as a kid are back and kicking like never before.”  Nikita explained.

My eyes widened.  Panic started to “I…I thought they were all killed.” 

“We thought the same.  There’s only a few alive, but none of that is anyone’s fault.  They haven’t made a move towards you in particular, but we don’t want another episode to happen.  We’re only going to stop the fire before it starts.”  Chen undid the rope around me.  I noticed some of Nikita’s men just sitting there.  “Make yourself comfortable.  You’ll be here for forty-eight hours.” 

“That sounds boring.” 

She laughed quietly.  “Don’t be too pessimistic.  I have some fun activities for you.” 

Nikita had all these ‘fun activities’ for me.  Honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised what these activities were.  On the table were four guns of different types.  She made me do the same thing she taught me when I was a kid.  I took them apart, cleaned it, and put it together.  My muscles remembered everything, even to the smallest of details to the screws. 

“Good.  Now, modify them.”  Nikita ordered.

One of Nikita’s men put a few pieces of metal on the table.  To any regular person, they’d see it as just pieces of metal.  She was the one that taught me how to take these pieces and make a super gun of sort.  When they fire the handgun in my hand, it would have some destructive power.  When it’s modified, however, it can blow someone’s brains out with ease. 

“You haven’t lost your touch.  You always surprise me, Shiori.” 

“I’m sorry.”  I apologized out of habit.

She took another drag of her cigar.  The smoke burned my lungs, making me cough.  “How’s Kanade?”  Nikita asked.  

I looked at her and then the gun in my hands.  I shouldn’t be surprised.  She always has tabs on me everywhere I go.  “She’s resting, peacefully I hope.” 

“I hope she is as well.  Have you talked to Xanxus lately?”  She asked me.

“No.  Why?” 

“I’m just wondering.” 

“You won’t hurt him, right?” 

She smiled at me.  “I’d never do that to you.  I must say though, you looked rather tense when I mentioned him.  Did something happen between you two?” 

I sighed and looked back at the gun in my hand.  I leaned against the couch.  “Your intuition never ceases to amaze me.”  I commented.

“I’m a former soldier.  I needed to have strong intuition to stay alive.  Now, tell me what’s wrong.” 

“I left in the very early morning without anyone knowing.  Squalo visited me when I wasn’t home and I guess he doesn’t hate me since he left me chocolate.  I’m not sure about everyone else.”  I explained.

“Was that man going to hurt you?”  She asked in a low tone.  The men in the room with us sat up in their seats.  They were ready to get an assassination order.

“No.  I-I’m trying to face myself and what happened to me.” 

“If you can’t face yourself, you wouldn’t be able to face him.”  I nodded, putting the gun on the table.  “You’re doing a good job at facing your past, Shiori.  Once you face the Tokyo incident, there’s nothing in the world that’ll scar you.” 

“You think so?”  I asked, looking up at her.

“I know so.  We’re similar, remember?  We’re both scarred and have faced the true evils of the world.  I faced everything and now look at me.  I put terror in everyone with a single look.” 

This is why Nikita made me feel comfortable.  She could understand me because she was tortured the same way I was.  She reassured me everything would be just fine.  In those instances, she was a mother to me.  She’s even said something similar in the past about me being her only child. 

“I want to be there the day you get over your past.  I want to see what kind of woman you’ll be.  I’m hoping you’ll be like me but a bit kinder.”  Nikita commented.

“I’m not even sure what kind of woman I’ll be.  I never thought about it before.” 

By the next day, I was bored with everything Nikita brought to entertain me.  We couldn’t make unnecessary noise or else we’d be found.  There were times where Nikita would hide me underneath the ground in a trap door before the main door opened.  The lights would be out for hours and Nikita wouldn’t be able to smoke.  This made her irritated with everything.  She sure did love her tobacco.  By the final day, I was able to leave.  Apparently, the threat has been contained.  I wonder if Nikita will give whoever she captured a painful or painless death. 

“Shiori.” 

I looked back at Nikita.  “Yes?” 

“When your father passes, tell me.”  She said seriously.  She knew it affected me and this was the only way she knew how to comfort me.  She never hugged anyone and hated physical contact with anyone.

“I will.” 

“We’ll give him a funeral worthy of a king.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Don’t worry about anything, alright?  If you have money problems, tell me.  If you killed a man and need to hide it, call the usual garbage man.”  Nikita reassured me.

“If I do end up killing someone and I’m targeted, what then?”  I questioned quietly. 

“When I’m by your side, only idiots would come after you.” 

“What about the Hibari?” 

She chuckled.  “I give you full permission to do whatever it takes for you to stay alive.” 

That’s all I needed to hear from her.  “Thank you, Nikita.” 

She chuckled.  “You’re going to be a handful, aren’t you?” 

“It’s the only thing I know.  After all, everyone taught me how to be one.”


	17. Chapter 17

When I went back to school, I sat at my desk like nothing had ever happened.  I had no choice but to act this way.  There was no telling what connections others had or if anyone other than Tsuna even saw what happened.  I took a book out and started to read.  Tsuna ran up to me with panic on his face.

“Shiori!” 

“What is it?”  I asked, looking away from my book. 

“You’re here?  I thought you were dead.” 

“Why would you think that?” 

“That woman that took you is dangerous.” 

I slightly squeezed my legs together.  If he knew about Chen, then he must somehow be involved in the underground.  The poor thing can hardly stand straight.  I wonder if he was involved voluntarily.  He doesn’t look like he’d be able to kill anyone.  “It must have scared you since she’s rumored to be a murderer.”  I said with a sweet smile.  He nodded frantically, confirming my thoughts.  “I can assure you she isn’t the one you’re thinking about.  She has a cousin that looks like her that is in some shady business.  The one that took me actually runs a dojo and has me clean it once in a while.” 

“But she was dragging you.” 

I hummed happily.  “Mei has a hard time expressing herself and has violent tendencies like her cousin.  They were both trained under their grandpa and he was known for being violent.”  Mei was actually Chen’s cousin.  What I said was the twisted truth.  My smile made all the worries Tsuna had go away.  The last thing I wanted was more people involved with me and knowing things they shouldn’t know.  I don’t want anyone’s pity.  Tsuna went back to his seat, seeming a lot calmer.  I’ll need to keep an eye on him and all his friends for now on. 

A week has passed. Dad has been going downhill slowly.  Shamal gave him a few more months.  I’ve been noticing how people in Namimori have been disappearing left and right.  Whoever was doing this had a method to this madness.  Of course, being around someone of Nikita’s caliber, this was someone who knew what they were doing but was still a rookie.  Thanks to the kidnappings, the Hibari took their eyes off me most of the time.  Though, I could tell they were still watching me.  One night, I went to get some groceries.  It was pretty late, but there were late night sales I couldn’t refuse.  I took some premade meals and then got some vegetables and fruits.  I already had meat in the freezer to last me for a while.  While walking back, I noticed someone following me.  I turned back and saw a teen younger than me in a green uniform.  He had blonde hair and a weird marking on his face.  He just froze and looked at me. 

“What do you want?”  He spat. 

“You were following me.”  I retorted.  He got closer with his back hunched.  “Oh.”  I said to myself. 

“What?  You scared?” 

“No.  I just figured out you must be behind the kidnappings and attacks happening recently with how you’re allowing your bloodlust to flow.”  He looked surprised which confirmed another suspicion of mine.  “You’re also working with someone.  You seem too stupid to pull off a plan as simple as this.”  His face turned red with anger. 

“Ken.” Another teen similar to Ken walked to him with glasses and dark blue hair. 

“What now?”  Ken asked his comrade. 

“Why are you stalling?” 

“She’s smarter than we believed, Chikusa.” 

“That hurts.”  I replied dryly. 

“She doesn’t look strong.  Just do it.”  Chikusa looked right into my eyes.  I hummed and put most of my weight on my left side. 

“What are you going to do?  Will you rape me?”  I asked bluntly.

“N-no.” 

“You stuttered.  Did you think about it, Ken?  Do you want to rape me?”  I questioned with a smile. 

“No!  We weren’t ordered to do so.” 

“Just because you weren’t ordered doesn’t mean you can’t.”  I pointed out.

“Rape is beneath us.”  Chikusa said, glaring at me. 

“Really?  Don’t waste your time attacking people if you’re not prepared to do the worst.  You’re supposed to make people want to die.  Physical wounds can heal.  Psychological wounds, however, can take years to heal.  Sometimes, they never heal.  They leave a person an empty shell of what they used to be.”  I giggled softly.  “Well, good luck with attacking people.”  I started walking away from them. 

“We’re not done with you!”  Ken ran at me. 

I took a step to the left and he fell to the ground.  “Don’t waste my time with this.  I just want to go home and eat.” 

“We won’t let you leave.”  Chikusa said in his calm voice. 

“You’re going to regret that.” 

I noticed a group of punks walking near this area.  I started to tip my tights up and clawing my nails into my legs.  Their faces contorted. 

“What are you doing?”  Chikusa asked.

I ripped my school clothes and tore more at my arms.  I took a shoe off and threw it passed them.  My sweater dropped to my elbows.  I then pinched the bottom of my lip to make it bruise while clawing at my cheek hard enough to draw blood.  They were in for a fun time. 

“She’s crazy.”  Ken said, getting up. 

I took him by the wrist and fell backwards with him on top of me.  The group was getting closer.  I started to shake and pant.  I needed this to be as believable as possible.  “Help!”  I yelled with all my might.  The group started to run over.  Ken’s eyes widened when he knew what was happening. 

“You bitch!”  Ken swore at me.

“Look!”  One of the guys shouted.

“Get him!”  Ken and Chikusa ran for their lives.  The group ran to me.  “Are you alright?”  “What happened?”  They were asking questions while looking me over.

“I was just shopping and they just attacked me out of nowhere.”  My words were breathy and my limbs shaky.  The tears in my eyes were enough to convince these idiots.  One of them picked me up with ease. 

“We’ll get you to the hospital.” 

“Thank you.”  As they were running, they stopped.  I looked and saw Kyoya. 

“What’s going on here?”  He questioned them.

“We found her with a guy on top of her.  They attacked her and were going to rape her.”  Hibari just looked at me with surprise. 

“I’ll bring her to the hospital.  Thank you for acting immediately.” 

I was given to Kyoya.  It was strange to be carried by an enemy like this.  “Are you going to bring me to your father?”  I questioned.

“You need medical assistance.  My father won’t provide you any.”  If only he knew what was happening, he’d bring me to his father.  I bet those two boys won’t provoke me again.  At the hospital, Shamal was called to help me.  He ran to me. 

“Shiori?!” 

“Hello, Shamal.” 

“What happened to you?”  He saw Hibari and tensed. 

“I went to get groceries and was attacked.”  I explained.  He saw my tattered clothing. 

“I see.  Were you raped?” 

“Almost, but penetration did not occur.” 

“That’s one thing to be glad about.  Hibari, I need you to leave so I can inspect my patient.”  He nodded and left.  Shamal looked at me with a frown.  He went over my self-inflicted wounds.  “Looks like it’s just minor scraping.  You lucked out.”  He disinfected the areas and bandaged them up.  “That lip looks like it was bitten.” 

“It was.” 

“I’m surprised you’re not asking for pain medicine.”  

“My adrenaline is still pumping.  I’ll be fine until I get home.”  I yawned.  I didn’t realize how tired I was.

“Now that you’re all patched up, let me walk you home.  I don’t want you to be attacked again.” 

“Thank you, Shamal.”  After being discharged, the two of us walked towards my house. 

“Huh?  Shamal?  Shiori?!”  In front of us was Tsuna and Gokudera.  I was holding a bag of ice to my lip. 

“Hello.”  I greeted.

“What’s going on?  Why are you hurt?”  Tsuna asked.

“She was attacked and brought in.  Thankfully, it isn’t anything too bad.”  Shamal said.

“Did you see who it was?”  Tsuna asked me. 

“I could hardly see since it’s pretty dark.  But, he did have a green uniform on, or was it blue?  I’m not sure.  There were two of them.  I questioned them if they were behind the kidnappings.” 

“And?”  Gokudera questioned. 

“They didn’t answer, but from their almost surprised looks, they’re involved but are only the henchmen.”  I responded softly. 

“How are you sure?”  Shamal questioned me.

“They said they were ordered to do it.  Hopefully, you two won’t get hurt.” 

“You should probably stay home until this whole thing is over.  They could be looking for you.”  Gokudera said.  He seemed to be protective of me which is strange since he only shows any emotion other than hate towards Tsuna. 

“Thank you, Gokudera.  I think I’ll do just that.  Will you tell the teacher for me?” 

“I will.” 

“Thank you.  You’re really dependable.”  I gave him a bright smile which made his cheeks turn pink.  Even Tsuna’s cheeks turned pink.  The more they fell for this false persona of mine, the less they’ll be suspicious of me.

“Let’s get going, Shiori.  You’re still being targeted.”  Shamal referred to the Hibari family, but the two didn’t need to know. 

“I guess you’re right.  Have a good night, Tsuna, Gokudera.  Please get to a safe place before you get attacked as well.”  I gave them a small bow with a wince before continuing to my house.  Shamal let me be when I got inside.  I locked the door and couldn’t contain my laughter.  They all believed me.  I held my head with a maddening smile.  I panted a few times.  “I’m really losing it.” 

Over the next few days, I was kept in my house.  None of the teachers would punish me for my absence.  After all, I do have a doctor’s note.  The door bell rung.  I didn’t hesitate to open it.  “Hello, I’m here to examine your house.”  A man pushed passed me.  I didn’t see a car parked outside anywhere.  I closed the door and looked at the man.  He smiled sweetly the same way Hibari’s uncle did.  Keeping eye contact, I locked the door without him knowing. 

“I wasn’t notified about an inspection.”  I said.

“It’s a surprise one.  Our family is very proud of Namimori and we don’t want any one of our citizens living in a mess.  It isn’t good for one’s mental stability especially when you’re living by yourself with no parents.” 

“Go ahead and look.  There’s no mess anywhere.” 

He extended a hand out to my.  “Kai Hibari.” 

“It’s a pleasure.”  He nodded and looked around the kitchen, inspecting inside the cabinets and the fridge.  “How long will this inspection last?”  I questioned. 

“It should last twenty minutes, but that depends on what I find.” 

I hummed and did the math in my head.  It’d take months to cover every single house and apartment in Namimori.  “Is it just you that does the inspection?” 

“Of course.” 

“Are you just starting the inspections in Namimori?” 

He gave me a suspicious look.  “Do you think I’m here on other business?” 

“I’m just interested in how you Hibari run.  It must take a long time to do these inspections.” 

“That’s very dangerous, miss.”  I shrugged my shoulders and followed him to the living room.  He turned everything over.  He must be looking for something specific. 

“Do you have a family?”  I asked, breaking the silence.  

“No.” 

“Really?  That’s shocking.  You’re not bad to look at.” 

He looked into drawers of every end table in the living room.  “I have no plans either.  I can’t stand children.”  We started walking up the stairs. 

“If you’re looking for something specific, I can just tell you where it is.”  I said, knowing why he was here.  He didn’t see if I was living in a mess.  He was seeing if I was any more of a threat than I am.

He stopped half way up the stairs.  “I’m only checking to see if you have weapons.” 

“Anything can be a weapon, Kai.” 

“I’m aware, Shiori.”  His voice slowed when he said my name.  I’m not too surprised.  Every Hibari member knows my name.

“Are you here on behalf of the head of the family?” 

“I am.” 

“Will you hurt me?”  My voice became higher in pitch with a clear, innocent tone. 

“I will if you act out.”  He continued to my room.  He searched everywhere, even my underwear drawer. 

“How’s my mom?”  I suddenly asked.

“She’s happy.” 

“Good.”  I answered.  Not once did he take his eyes away from his search.

“Are you sad that she abandoned you and your father?” 

“I’m only disappointed.  I hope she doesn’t have kids.  She’s a terrible mother and an even worse actress.” 

“You’d say that about the woman who gave birth to you?” 

I smiled as I thought about how disgusted my mother looked when she talked about me.  I always knew she didn’t like me because of the way she’d grimace behind my back.  “I’ll say that to anyone blood related or not.  Once dad dies, I won’t have any emotional ties.  They’re all on the other side.”  I hid Kanade’s journal.  It’d be an even bigger mess if they were to get their hands on it.  Kai saw that and went to the next few rooms.  As expected, everything was clear. 

We were walking down the stairs.  I was in front of him.  “Shiori.” 

I stopped.  “Yes?” 

“You’re hiding something from me.  Why don’t you show me and I’ll reward you?” 

“What’s the reward?”  I was on the step below him. 

“I’ll give you any kind of pleasure.”  He spoke softly.

I held in my disgust.  “It’s a book.”  I put the journal in front of me. 

“May I see it?” 

“I already showed it to you.  Where’s my reward?” 

“I need to physically have it in my hands before you get your reward.” 

“No deal.”  I saw his cold, distant stare out of the corner of my eye.  He was here on a mission.  His hands wrapped around my neck. 

“You’ve crossed the line.  It’s time for your punishment.”  I didn’t struggle at all.  The more your struggle when you’re being choked, the more it’ll hurt.  His grip tightened.  “Scared, little girl?” 

“Not really.”

“What?” 

I allowed my body to go limp.  The two of us fell down the stairs and landed into the wall.  His hands let go of my neck.  I stood up and kicked Kai in the head. 

“Go ahead and run away before it’s too late.”  I said.  I was offering him a way out.  Generally, I’d never be this kind.

“I don’t need to run from you.”  He stood up and glared.  I got my phone out and sent a message.  “Help won’t come in time.”  He sneered.

“I’m messaging my garbage man.” 

“Huh?” 

I took a step closer to him.  “When you’re gone, no one will bat an eye and question me.  At least, they won’t with all the kidnappings and attacks going on.” 

“You’re going to kill me?” 

“Yes.” 

He ran right at me.  I easily dodged and kicked his knees in.  He fell backwards onto the ground.  I put him in a chokehold and sat on the ground.  He tried to grab at me to stop.  My other hand went into his coat pocket and found a knife.  “This is a hideous weapon, but it’ll do the trick.”  I used the knife to implant his hand into his abdomen.  He screamed.  I plunged the knife deeper.  My phone started ringing.  I answered it without looking at who it was.  “Hello?” 

“Shiori!”  I heard Squalo yell. 

“It’s been a while, Squalo.” 

“It has.  Are you okay?” 

“I’m perfectly fine.  Why ask?” 

“I’m hearing something strange in the background.” 

The man in my grip yelled.  “Quiet, you.”  I spat at the man.  “What you’re hearing is my new friend.  What was your name again?”  I asked him.

“Kai Hibari.”  He spat out.  I heard Squalo gasp. 

“Did he attack you?” 

“We’re just having a friendly conversation.”  The knife came out.  Blood was staining the floor.  “You’re making cleanup harder on me.”  I took the knife and reinserted the knife and hand into the same position.  This time, I stabbed deeper.  He yelled from the pain.  I held him even tighter.  “Screaming isn’t allowed.  We don’t want others to hear.  That would be bad.” 

“Shiori.”  Squalo said seriously.

“Yes?” 

“Do you need me to cover it up?”  I couldn’t help but smile.  I’m sure he’d cover any murder up for me.

“No.  I have my own garbage man.  They’ll take care of the body parts.  I’m sure the head would sell well since it’s a Hibari.”  The man tried to scream with terror. 

“Be careful.  Don’t let anyone see.” 

“Squalo.”  My voice deepened.  “This isn’t the first time this type of thing has happened.  Trust me.  Anyone who enters my domain won’t exit alive.  Oh, and the chocolate you gave me was delicious.” 

“That was Xanxus.  I just brought it to you.” 

“Give him my thanks.  Now, if you excuse me, my garbage man will be here in twenty minutes.  I need to hurry and bag him up so I can take the trash out.” 

Squalo felt chills after Shiori hung up.  Everyone looked at Squalo with anticipation.  They were just checking up on Shiori, but Squalo looked sick.  “You’re pale.” 

“What happened?”  Xanxus asked. 

“She’s…taking care of someone.  A garbage man will be there soon.  She needed to hang up so she could bag him up.” 

“That doesn’t sound like her at all.”  Lussuria said sadly. 

“No.  That’s her.”  They all looked at Xanxus after he spoke. 

“I can’t imagine Shiori being a murder.”  Levi muttered. 

“I can’t imagine it when she’s conscious.  When she’s in her alter self, I can see it.”  Bel responded. 

Xanxus didn’t want to believe someone like Shiori was like Nikita and her men.  Sure, if this was one of his men, he’d be proud, but Shiori?  Mammon could see the worry on everyone’s face.  Even though Mammon wasn’t a fan of alter Shiori, he knew this was the product of the incident.  With Xanxus’ flame out of her body, she’s even less stable.  There has to be a way to stabilize her mind and her flame.  Shiori told him she needed to face her past and because of it, she’s becoming a mess and losing control of herself. 

“Are you keeping something from us, Mammon?”  Bel asked with his usual smirk. 

“No.” 

Xanxus didn’t look.  He already knew what was happening.  He forced himself to keep his distance in order to help her and himself.  He had to keep his focus on the ring battles and the plan on kidnapping Nono.  Part of him felt it was his fault Shiori is the way she is now.  At least, he was partially responsible.  He shouldn’t have even mentioned forcing her to talk about what happened. Xanxus went to take a walk.  He needed to be alone.  The streets of Italy was filled with smells coming from cafes, restaurants, and bakeries.  Shiori would like it.  He sat down at one of the fountains and stared at the ground. 

“What the hell got your panties in a bunch?”  A familiar gruff voice asked.

Xanxus looked and saw Yuko.  “What do you want?” 

“You look worse than a kicked puppy.”  She sat down next to him with a lit cigarette.

“Why are you here?”  He asked.

“I had a target.  Are you worried about Shiori?”  She asked, staring at the people and not Xanxus. 

“I am.” 

“Don’t worry.  We protected her.” 

“From what?” 

Yuko looked at Xanxus with disbelief.  “She didn’t tell you anything?  Nikita ordered Shiori to hide with her and some of her men for three days straight because of news of a group rising up.” 

“What group?” 

“The same that caused the Tokyo incident.  We contained the problem though.  There shouldn’t be any problems for now.”  Xanxus shook his head.  It was yet another thing he didn’t know about.  “Did you two have a fight?” 

“No.” 

“I’m pretty good with understanding Shiori.  Let me take a guess.  She disappeared over night because you mentioned the incident in a way that scared her and now you two haven’t spoken since.”  He sighed, giving Yuko her answer.  “I did the same thing.  Just give her time.  I heard from sis Shiori is facing her past.” 

“I’m aware.” 

“You’re not aware of how fucked up her past is.  She went to visit a friend she loved more than she could comprehend.”  Yuko handed Xanxus a picture.  In the photo were two girls sitting by a pond. 

“What is this?” 

“Take a good look.” 

“Shiori…”  Xanxus saw the girl with long brown hair smiling.  It was Shiori.  The girl next to her was reading a book. 

“She doesn’t know this exists.  I took it when I was checking up on her.  You know, that was the first time I saw her smile since the first incident.” 

“What happened to that girl?”  Xanxus asked. 

“That’s Kanade.  She was Shiori’s best friend and the only one that made her feel safe.  She died and since then, Shiori refused to function.  She refused to live.  That was the second time her world shattered.”  The guilt in Xanxus’ heart continued to pile up.  “Keep that photo.”  Yuko said out of the blue. 

“Why?” 

“It’ll give you motivation to make things better.  Plus, you can give it to her when she’s finally in Italy.” 

“You’re not mad at me?” 

Yuko shook her head.  “You’re the only one she trusts to be close to her.  She can’t stand when people are in her space but will let you cling onto her.  If there’s one thing in your life to not mess up, this is it.  If you ever betray her, she’ll lose all control.” 

“She’s already losing control.”  Xanxus said, staring at the photo. 

“Huh?  What are you talking about?  She isn’t losing control.  She’s just acting on instincts we taught her when she was a kid.  She still remembers everything we taught her.”  Xanxus couldn’t see why Yuko was so happy about this.  “I know you don’t like it, but that’s who she really is.  She chooses to not let you see what she’s really like.  She’s just like the two of us underneath that mask of hers.  It’s terrifying, but it’s true.  It’s why Nikita adopted her.”  Xanxus’ head shot up from shock.  Nikita adopted Shiori?  “It wasn’t legal of course.  Mafia wise, Shiori is Nikita’s daughter and she has stated that fact a few times.  If anyone touches her, Nikita will personally kill them.” 

“Why did Nikita do that?  I thought she didn’t see anyone as her family.”  Xanxus questioned. 

“There’s always an exception.  Nikita told me if Shiori stayed with us, she’d be her replacement.”  Xanxus’ eyes widened.  There was no way Shiori could be like Nikita.  Yuko put a hand on Xanxus’ shoulder.  “For that reason, we trained her to be a professional killer.  She can kill better than most assassins I’ve seen.  Whether you want to accept it or not, that’s who she is.”  She stood up and stretched.  Xanxus just looked at Yuko.  “Oh, and she was wearing that damn feather.  If she truly hated you, she would have destroyed it.  You can stop this depressing shit now.  It’s annoying.”


	18. Chapter 18

A knock echoed throughout my house.  It was soft, but I knew exactly who it was.  The door opened and a man in a gray uniform walked in.  His dark hair and eyes made him fit in with regular garbage men in Japan.  I could see him on a small screen from one of the many security cameras I had set up months ago.  Thankfully, the Hibari hadn’t caught onto that yet.

“Miss.” 

“Back here.”  I called out.

He walked into a room right off the kitchen.  The room itself was cold and meant to preserve meats and canned goods.  However, I used the room for a completely different reason now.  I was wiping up a table, making sure no traces of blood were left.  Six bags tied with decorative ribbon sat on the floor.  Each was tied with a different color ribbon.  The man opened each bag to make sure the colors matched everything.

“You’ve done a splendid job, miss.  You were able to take the head off cleanly.” 

“Thank you.  To be honest, this is my first time doing this alone.  I’ve only watched others and guidance.”

“Shall I give you the proceeds?” 

“Yes, but I’d like to have some sent to the Hibari household with a note.” 

“What should this note say?” 

“Thank you for your contribution.” 

Before he took the bags and left, he put a bottle on the counter.  It was a specific cleaner to completely get rid of any and all traces of blood that would be left behind.  Each bag corresponded in a certain order.  The torso had to be split in two since it’s large and troublesome to transport.  For women, there was always one less bag than the men.  Some people, women specifically, had a disgusting collection of male privates.  I still can’t understand why they do it, but I’m not one to judge.  I only care about getting my profit.  I took the contents in the bottle and mixed it with water before wiping the entire room down.

A few days have passed.  It seemed like whoever was doing the kidnappings were caught.  In school, I saw Tsuna, Gokudera, and Yamamoto injured.  They were either injured from the henchmen or dealt with the kidnapper themselves.  I turned a page in my book.  As long as I didn’t stick my nose in their business, they wouldn’t have a reason to stick their nose in mine.  I wonder if the Hibari got my note yet.  I’ve already noticed the increase in my bank account, so the money must either be on its way to the Hibari or already there.  Part of me wanted to laugh in their faces, but I knew better. 

“Shiori!”  The three previously mentioned walked to my desk. 

“Yes?” 

“We just wanted to tell you the kidnappers have been caught.” 

“Really?  That’s nice.  I can finally get deals on groceries without being hurt.”  I replied in a soft voice.

“We beat them into oblivion.”  Gokudera announced happily. 

“I see.  It must have been tough to have fought them.” 

“It was nothing.  I’m stronger than those idiots.”  From his beaten up form, I couldn’t believe he could have taken the kidnappers on all at once by himself. 

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt any more than you already are.”  I replied.

“It’s no big deal.  Scars are manly.” 

I gripped my book tighter.  Manly?  Did that make me manly?  Would Xanxus see me as manly when he sees them?  “Not everyone thinks scars are manly, Gokudera.”  I pointed out.

“Why?” 

“Scars on men mean they’re troublemakers that always get hurt which will get everyone around you hurt.  At least, some people see it that way.”  He instantly took a step back.  “Ah.  I’m sorry, Gokudera.  I’m not sure how they’ll look on you, but they could make you manly.” 

“You think so?” 

“You never know.” 

Gokudera was beaming with happiness.  “Gokudera is shining.”  Yamamoto commented with a smile.  We all knew something was wrong because Gokudera didn’t even yell at Yamamoto.  Tsuna dragged Gokudera back to their desks. 

“Strange.” 

“Oh, c’mon, plain Jane.  You can’t see he has a crush on you?” 

“No one asked you.” 

“I think you two would be cute.  Someone quiet and innocent like you with someone dangerous just screams adorable and manga worthy.” 

I sighed heavily.  “I’m not into him.” 

“That sucks for him.  Let him down gently.” 

“What do you mean?”  I asked, genuinely confused.

“Don’t just reject him bluntly.” 

“That’s all I know how to.” 

The guy just stared at me with disbelief.  “Have you ever had someone confess to you?” 

“No.” 

“Have you confessed to anyone?” 

“No.” 

“Have you ever had a crush?” 

“I…think so?” 

His jaw dropped from disbelief before he turned around.  “You know what, Shiori?  Just do you.  There’s no one else like you.” 

“You think so?” 

“I know so.”  I smiled and went back to my book.  Yuko told me the same thing before.  I’m glad everyone thought that way.

Summer vacation was coming up soon.  Everyone was excited for it.  For me, however, it was a time I hated.  I couldn’t wear what I wanted in public.  I had to keep covered or else everyone will stare.  “Plain Jane, go to the beach with me!”  I was getting ready to leave and this idiot decided to yell to the entire class. 

 “Like hell she will!”  Gokudera stomped over and clenched the shirt of the guy who was laughing. 

“Do you think she’d go with you?”  He taunted. 

Gokudera looked at me.  “Go to the beach with me.” 

“No.” 

The guy laughed.  “See?  She’ll go to the beach with me.” 

“No.” 

“Huh?”  He questioned.

“I’m not going anywhere with anyone.  Why don’t you two go together since you both like the beach?”  The two were instantly depressed. 

“I just wanted to see what you look like in a bikini.” 

“And this is why I’ll never go to a beach with people like you.  I hate people staring at me.  Now, if you excuse me.  I need to go home where I’ll be alone.”  I turned my back on them and left.  I sighed heavily, hanging my head low.  “That offer was really tempting, but with those two idiots, I’d drown myself.”  I left school and went home.  Inside, I was welcomed by an empty house like usual.  “I’m home.  I can finally concentrate on you, Kanade.” 

Tsuna has never seen Gokudera so depressed.  Everyone knew he had a crush on Shiori.  It was cute and something Yamamoto and Reborn teased him about.  “Hey, Tsuna, why do you think Shiori won’t go to the beach?”  Yamamoto asked. 

“She doesn’t like people staring at her.” 

“Why would they stare?  Everyone else is in their bathing suits.”  Despite Yamamoto being not so smart most of the time, he did have a point.  Why would people stare at Shiori? 

“Body issues.”  Reborn appeared out of thin air like always. 

“She has a nice body.  Why does she hide it?”  Yamamoto asked.

“Yamamoto, some people don’t like the way their bodies look and will cover themselves up to avoid any compliments.”  Reborn explained. 

“Why do you think she has body issues?”  Tsuna asked.

“I don’t know.  There could be many reasons.” 

“I really want to know why.  I’ll ask her tomorrow.”  Reborn knew Yamamoto was a goner.  That boy was so oblivious to everything.  Ignorance is bliss as they say.  Gokudera walked back to them.  Most of the students already left.

“I’m sorry Shiori didn’t accept your invite.”  Tsuna said. 

“I’m going to ask her tomorrow.” 

“She doesn’t want to go to the beach.”  Reborn said.

Gokudera shook his head.  “I’m going to ask her to be my girlfriend.” 

“What?!”  The two teens shouted.

“If she accepts, she’ll have to go to the beach with me.” 

“Can we join?”  Yamamoto asked. 

“No!” 

Reborn was wrong.  It wasn’t just Yamamoto going to be hurt tomorrow, but Gokudera will join him as well.  “Tomorrow will be interesting.”  He commented.

The next day, we were allowed to do basically whatever we wanted since it was the final few days of school.  I was planning on shooting with my club after lunch.  We were going to have some advanced targets to shoot at which excited me.  It was about time too.  I was getting bored of the regular large targets. 

“Shiori.” 

I looked up and saw Gokudera.  “Yes?” 

“Can we go for a walk?” 

“Sure.”

I followed Gokudera outside to one of the cherry blossom trees.  I gripped my book with nervousness.  I was unsure of what he’d want to talk about.  He’d probably want to ask specifically why I don’t want to go to the beach with him.  “I…I…”  He was stuttering. 

“What is it?”  I asked.  He was acting really weird.

His face was getting red.  “I think you’re pretty.”  He said quietly.  My face instantly turned red.  “No!  You’re beautiful!” 

“What are you talking about?”  I questioned.

“Dammit!  I want you to be my girlfriend!  I won’t let anyone get away with hurting you.  I’ll protect you with my life.”  Gokudera yelled with a red face.

My eyes widened.  He thought I was cute?  “I’m…cute to you?” 

“You’re the cutest girl I’ve ever laid my eyes on and I lived in Italy most of my life.” 

I took a step back.  “Cute?  Me?”  I noticed how everyone was watching.  The girls were all gushing and some of the guys blushed while the rest waited for my answer.  This was too much for me.  My breathing started to go awry.  I didn’t handle these things well.

“Shiori.”  I looked into Gokudera’s eyes.  “I love you.”  I didn’t know what to say, but my body knew what to do even though it probably wasn’t the best thing.  I took my book and hit him in the head before running off. 

When Gokudera and Shiori left the room, everyone ran to the window.  “It’s time.”  Tsuna said with dread.

“Oh, this is so exciting.”  Kyoko said. 

Tsuna wish it could be him asking Kyoko, but decided it was best not to in front of the entire school.  In fact, in almost every classroom that faced the entrance, everyone was watching.  It was tradition for a guy to ask a girl who he really liked under the cherry blossom tree.

“Do you think she’ll accept?”  Yamamoto asked Tsuna. 

“There’s no way in hell she’ll accept.”  The two turned to the guy that sat in front of Shiori. 

“You never know.”  Yamamoto said.

“I know Shiori pretty well by now.” 

People opened the windows to hear Gokudera’s declaration of love.  Everyone stayed as quiet as possible.  “No!  You’re beautiful!”  The girls all gasped quietly.  “Dammit!  I want you to be my girlfriend!”  Everyone could hear that crystal clear. 

“So, this is what she looks like when confessed to.”  Shiori’s classroom neighbor said with amusement.

“Huh?”  Tsuna and Yamamoto questioned.

“No one has ever confessed to Shiori and she’s never confessed to anyone.” 

Everyone looked to see what Shiori’s answer would be.  Even Reborn was enjoying the show beside Tsuna.  Shiori’s face turned completely red.  “Cute.”  The entire class muttered.  Shiori pointed to herself and questioned something.  Gokudera said something that made her take a step back. 

“Prepare to console him, Tsuna.”  Reborn said. 

“Oh no.”  Tsuna muttered.

“Shiori.”  Some students were leaning out the window.  It was something she noticed and began to panic.  “I love you.”  The girls all gushed loudly.  “He said it!” Almost everyone shouted.  That’s when Shiori took her book and with a spin, hit Gokudera before running. 

The two ran down to get Gokudera.  Reborn saw Shiori running by.  “Shiori!”  Yamamoto stopped her. 

“Yamamoto, no!”  Tsuna yelled, knowing what Yamamoto was going to do. 

“What is it?”  She asked.  It was obvious to everyone but Yamamoto she was not in the best mood.

“Why won’t you go to the beach?  Do you have body issues?”  She didn’t even say anything before hitting Yamamoto into the lockers with her book and running.  “She’s strong.” 

They ran to Gokudera who was sitting at the tree, smoking a cigarette.  “Gokudera!” 

“What?” 

“Are you okay?”  Tsuna asked.

“No.  My heart hurts and my head hurts just as much.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” 

Yamamoto laughed.  “She hit me into the lockers with her book just now.  I feel your pain.”  Gokudera couldn’t even yell at him for the comment. 

“It’ll be alright, Gokudera.  She’s never been confessed to before.  You’re probably the first person to say they like her.”  Reborn consolidated Gokudera. 

“Really?  I’m the first?” 

“The guy that sits in front of her said so.  She hasn’t confessed to anyone either.  She’s new to this.” 

Gokudera stared at Reborn.  “Do you think I have a chance?” 

“Probably not, but you never know.”  Reborn didn’t want to make Gokudera feel even worse than he already feels. 

Gokudera stood up.  “That’s it!  I won’t stop until she says yes.” 

Tsuna looked at Reborn.  “This is your fault.” 

“I’m aware, Tsuna.”  Gokudera ran to the classroom to find Shiori, but she wasn’t there. 

“I’m sorry about what happened.”  The guy that sat in front of Shiori said.  

“Where is she?”  Gokudera asked.

“She’s probably at the shooting range.”  He replied nonchalantly. 

“Got it!” 

Gokudera and company went to where Shiori was.  They all stopped before showing themselves and watched her.  She was completely focused.  She let go of the arrow and made a bullseye.  The three fell, scaring Shiori.  “W-what are you three doing here?”  She stuttered out.

Gokudera stood up.  “I won’t stop until you say yes.” 

“No.” 

“Please!” 

“No!  I’ll never go out with you.” 

“Why not?  Is there someone else?”  They saw how her cheeks turned pink and her eyes darted away from them.  “Who is it?  I’ll prove I’m stronger.” 

“There’s no one like that.”  She said nervously.

“Why won’t you look at us?”  Gokudera asked her. 

“I’m not sure if I like that person.  They make me feel things I haven’t felt in years.” 

“I’ll give that and more to you.” 

She sighed heavily.  “You don’t get it, do you?  I guess I’ll have to be blunt.  The one I like…I love is a girl.” 

“What?!”  They all shouted.  “You’re into girls?” 

“I guess so.”  Shiori admitted shyly.  It made her even cuter than before. 

“Who is she?”  Gokudera asked.

“She’s someone that I met after a bad accident I had.  She was the only one in the world that I can trust.” 

“Is she a student here?”  Yamamoto asked. 

Shiori shook her head.  “You wouldn’t know her.  She lives in Kyoto.” 

“No way.  It can’t be.”  Gokudera collapsed onto his hands and knees. 

“I’m sorry, Gokudera.  No one can beat her.” 

“I never thought you’d like girls, Shiori.”  Yamamoto said cheerfully. 

“When someone is your first for everything, it makes you fall even more for them.” 

Their faces turned beat red.  “You two kiss?”  Gokudera asked nervously.

“We’ve gone passed just kissing.” 

Reborn was just as surprised.  He thought Dino would be on her mind, but it was a mystery girl.  “Tsuna, ask what her name is.”  Reborn whispered. 

“What’s her name?”  Tsuna asked, knowing Reborn had a gun pointed at him.

“Her name is Kanade.  I’m actually going to visit her when vacation starts.”  She didn’t even need to think about a name.  This was real. 

“I’m sorry, Shiori!  I didn’t know.”  Gokudera apologized profusely. 

“It’s alright.  No one knows.  Could you three keep it a secret?  I’d rather not have the entire school question me.  I might even get in trouble with Hibari and I don’t want that.” 

“Your secret is safe with us.” 

That night, Reborn called Dino since he knew Shiori better.  “Do you know someone named Kanade?” 

“Where is this coming from?”  Dino asked. 

“Shiori mentioned her.” 

“Kanade is Shiori’s best friend.” 

“She’s real.”  Reborn said to the teens.  Dino could hear three teenagers yell with surprise. 

“It’s over!”  Gokudera slammed his head on the table. 

“Where does Kanade live?”  Reborn asked.

“Kyoto.  Shiori went to visit her a few weeks ago.  Why is everyone surprised?” 

“Gokudera asked Shiori out.” 

“What?!”  Dino instantly paled.  Xanxus was staring at him from across the room.  They were at a meeting that would be starting soon. 

“It seems like Shiori doesn’t swing towards the opposite sex.”  Reborn said.

“I see.”  Xanxus’ eyes narrowed.  “I have to go.  I’m having a meeting soon.” 

Reborn looked at Gokudera.  “I’m sorry, Gokudera.  I tried to see if her testimony was false, but it’s true.” 

Today was the last day of school.  I decided to skip and see dad instead.  It’s not like I had any ties to anyone.  Dad still lay completely still in the bed.  His vitals were slowly diminishing.  Shamal walked in to check on him.  “Shamal?” 

“What’s up?” 

“Do you think he’s in any pain?”  I asked quietly.

“No.” 

That was a relief.  “Do you think he can hear everything going on?” 

“I don’t know.  Some people who’ve been in comas say they hear everything, but some say the opposite.” 

Once he left, I took out Kanade’s journal.  “I’m scared.”  I said softly before beginning the first entry.  It’s been a few hours.  So far, everything Kanade wrote was about what she went through and the voices in her head.  Her demons always followed her no matter where she went.  It slowly transitioned to her first day of middle school.  I wanted to just skip to the end, but I couldn’t.  I needed to read everything.  I took a small breather and looked at dad.  He’d tell me to keep going even if it’s hard for me.  It’s what he said when I was recovering.  I had to learn how to walk again and he was there to catch me every time I fell.  Everything hurt, but I had to keep going.  I turned the page and read on.  The next entry was about her stalking me.  I felt uncomfortable reading about me, but it was exactly what I expected out of Kanade. 

“I guess professional stalker can go under the list of what you are, Kanade.  I always knew you followed me, but I didn’t know the extent.  Watching me from outside my window?  Really?  That’s just creepy.” 

The next day, I was messaged by Kazuma.  He wanted me over to visit Kanade’s grave with him.  So, I got a train ticket and got onto the train.  I had nothing else to do.  On the train, I decided to read the rest of the journal.  Opening the journal, I began where I left off.  I only had a few more entries left. 

‘It’s almost here.  The day is almost here where I can finally be free.’  I knew when she wrote this.  It was two days after we both confirmed our idea to jump together.  ‘Though, I’m unsure about Shiori.  She doesn’t like pain.  What if she suffers instead of having an instant death?  The thought scares me.  It makes me want to puke.  I don’t want her to experience that.’  Even though Kanade was seen as a punk, she had a heart of gold.  She was just afraid of getting hurt if someone got too close.  I was the exact same as her.  Even now I can’t get close to people without being suspicious.  The next two entries were about giving her things away.  ‘I’m going to be selfish during the last couple of seconds I’m alive.  I’m going to protect Shiori.  I can’t imagine a future without her even when I’m gone.  She deserves to live.  There’s a reason she survived Tokyo.  I want her to live.  No.  I need her to live.’  My eyes widened with surprise.  Kanade wanted me alive?  Kazuma was right after all.  ‘I know she wants to die, but she can’t die yet.  If she does end up dying, she’ll get her wish, but I’ll try to prevent it as much as possible.’ 

I went to the next entry, my heart beating erratically.  ‘I’m sorry, Kazuma.  I know you’d object if I told you what Shiori and I were going to do.  You loved me just as much as Shiori did.  You helped me a lot, more than you think.  During the times I cried, you made me cry tears of laughter.  During the times I hurt, you kissed it all away.  You made me second guess my decision.  You’re a coward in nature and generally weak.  You need to work on that before world walks all over you like a doormat.  Don’t let anyone tell you you’re worthless either.  I’m the only one who can say that.  I know you’ll be mad at me and Shiori.  If she lives, don’t be mad at her.  If she survives it’s not her fault.  She wanted to die just as much as me, but I can’t make myself to allow her to die.  I have two requests.  Can you visit me every once in a while?  I always thought no one would visit me when I died.  It’ll be nice.  My second request; if Shiori lives, can you give this to her?  She’s really fragile like a glass flower.  She needs to know why I’m doing what I’ll do.’  Kazuma must have been mentally broken from Kanade’s death.  He loved her.  I looked out the window.  I was an hour away from Kyoto. 

“Get over with it, Shiori.”  I muttered to myself.

‘I’m mostly sorry to you, Shiori.  I was always a selfish person.  I know you’ll be mad.  I know you’ll be sad.  You could have died during the Tokyo incident, but you didn’t.  You lived and I eventually found you.  The voices went away when I was around you.  Even the pain I felt went away.  Just your presence healed me.  I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me, even the things you don’t know about.  I feel horrible, but my wish is for you to live.  If you can help me, you can help others who are like us.  You make those who have no one feel like there is someone just by your presence.  Plus, there are so many things you haven’t experienced yet.  I know you’d tell me the same thing, but I’m more stubborn than you.  We both know it.  I just don’t want you to die.  That’s why I’m going to hold you protectively in my arms.  It’ll be a dream come true if you live.  I hope Kazuma gave this to you.  I hope this will help you.  How are you doing by the way?  How old are you?  Do you have a boyfriend or a husband?  I can imagine you with someone rough like me but quieter.  Don’t date Kazuma.  Do you have kids?  Did you name your daughter after me?  Don’t actually do that.  I hope you didn’t.  If you did, I’m honored!  Have you faced the incident yet?  I hope you have and if not, hopefully, you’ll do it soon.  How’s that weird woman that stalks you?  She gave me tips on how to stalk you by the way.  It helped.  Have you made any cool friends?  They better not be cooler than me.  I hope you’re happy even if it’s just for a moment.  Can you visit me too?  It’ll be like old times.  You can tell me everything and I still won’t respond.  By the way, turn the page.  There’s something for you.’ 

“What did you do now?”  My shaky hand turned the page.  On the page was a sketch.  ‘For my world, my savior, and most importantly, my best friend.  Thank you for everything.’  It was a sketch of me smiling.  Kanade drew this for me.  I looked at the other page and saw a note.  ‘I always loved your smile.  That’s why I decided to draw you when I saw you smile for the first time.’


	19. Chapter 19

To say I was a mess was an understatement.  I was a complete wreck, crying into my hands.  I haven’t cried like this in years.  Though, I was quiet.  I didn’t want to bother anyone else on the train and get any unnecessary attention. 

“A napkin for the miss.” 

I looked up and saw one of Nikita’s men.  “Huh?” 

“We can never be too careful.” 

“Thank you.”  I took it and wiped my eyes and nose.  I felt better, but it didn’t make me feel any better about what I read.  Kanade wanted me alive to help others like us.  That’s why she saved me.  The train stopped.  I got off and saw Kazuma waiting for me. 

“Shiori!”  Tsubasa ran at me from behind with open arms.  She unfortunately hugged me tightly.  “It’s been forever!  Let’s go eat!  Kazuma wouldn’t let me eat until you arrived.”  She whined, glaring at Kazuma.

“Well, I’m here now.” 

“Kazuma!  Food!”  Tsubasa demanded.  She held my hand and walked towards Kazuma as if I was a kid. 

“It’s about time you came, Shiori.  Did you read it?”  Kazuma asked.

“I just finished it.” 

“Isn’t it beautiful?” 

“It is.”  Tsubasa didn’t know what we were talking about.  She knew it was about Kanade and choose not to say anything.  “Well, let’s eat.  I’m hungry myself.”  I said, looking at Tsubasa.  Her face lit up immediately.

The three of us went to a restaurant.  It was a different establishment than last time.  This time, we went to a barbeque place.  We ordered a large set for four people.  We got different kinds of meats, vegetables, and sides of rice.  The three of us were drooling. 

“This looks amazing.”  Tsubasa said, wiping away some drool.

I was the first to put my meat on the grill.  “Shiori?” 

“I’m hungry.” 

“Is food all you think of?”  Tsubasa asked. 

“I think about other things sometimes.” 

“You’re strange.” 

“I’m just hungry, Tsubasa.” 

After we ate, we went to our old school.  Tsubasa left us half-way there.  She had something important to take care of.  It was just Kazuma and me.  “Before we get there, can I ask you something?”  Kazuma asked me. 

“Sure.” 

“Are you mad at Kanade?” 

“No.  I could never be mad at her.  I’m still a little upset, but I can’t change what happened.” 

“You know, Kanade was right about you.” 

“About what?”  I asked as we entered the gates. 

“Your presence is calming to be around.  No wonder you have stalkers.” 

“Thankfully, I know both of them and one was Kanade.” 

“I’m glad you don’t have any more stalkers.” 

“I’ve gotten used to it.”  I admitted.

“That’s not a good thing to get used to.”  We walked up to Kanade’s grave.  “Do you want some alone time?” 

“No.  I only have a few words.”  Kazuma quietly chuckled.  He knew where I was going with this.

“Give it to her, Shiori.” 

I knelt down.  “You’re a creep for stalking me that badly.  Standing outside my window?  Really?  You went and took it farther than Yuko ever did.  You should have just come through the front door to begin with.  I always knew you were there by the way.” 

Kazuma started to laugh.  “That’s all you have to say?”  He asked, poorly containing his laughter.

“That’s all I have to say for now.” 

“You’re cruel.” 

“It’s punishment.” 

He laughed even more.  “That reminds me of that one time during lunch when you refused to give Kanade a bite of your food because she did something bad.” 

“She broke someone’s arm.  She deserved every bit of punishment I gave her.  It’s not like the school would have done anything.  They were too scared of her.” 

“Guys!”  Tsubasa ran to us with her hand in the air.  “Let’s go inside!” 

“Inside?”  I questioned. 

“That sounds like a good idea.  We can go down memory lane.”  Kazuma said.

I didn’t have a choice in the matter.  Tsubasa took my hand and happily ran inside.  The inside was the same as last time I came here.  I didn’t expect anything to change.  She went into a the old science lab.  “Remember when Kyosuke almost blew up everyone and ended up taking his eyebrows off?”  Tsubasa questioned.

“That idiot had it coming.”  Kazuma replied.  We went further down. 

“Oh!  I remember this place pretty well.  This is where couples went to have some alone time.”  It was just a storage closet. 

“Tsubasa…” 

“What?” 

“You do know that makes you seem promiscuous because you knew this place pretty well.”  I said making her giggle. 

“What can I say?  I like a good time.”  I didn’t know what to say.  I’m not one to judge though. 

“Let’s keep on going, Tsubasa.  Mom wants to see Yona today.”  Kazuma said as he pushed Tsubasa’s back with his foot.

“I’ll take my time!”  We went up to the floor where our old homeroom classroom was.  I could hear people in the distance.  It was probably my imagination.  We stopped at our classroom.  “Wait here.”  Tsubasa ran in, quickly shutting the door. 

“What’s up with her?”  I asked Kazuma.  He smiled, knowing exactly what she was doing. 

“It’s Tsubasa.  That girl is more unpredictable than making a perfect soufflé.” 

The door opened.  “Come see everyone, Shiori.” 

“Everyone?”  I walked into the room and saw it full of people. 

“Her hair is short!”  One of the guys shouted.  I tilted my head, confused.  I could hardly remember anyone of these people. 

“Don’t look confused!  I spent weeks getting our class back together.”  Tsubasa yelled at me. 

“Oh.  I remember now.  No wonder they looked familiar.” 

“Don’t lie to me, Shiori!”  Tsubasa said with fake tears running down her face.  I noticed how the flowers on Kanade’s desk were gone. 

“Shut up, Tsubasa.  You’re annoying as usual.”  Kyosuke said with a snicker. 

“I shouldn’t have invited you.”  She spat.

“I would have heard about this from Hanayo anyway.” 

Two of the girls walked over to me and held my hands.  “This way.  We want to show you something.”  They brought me to my desk.  I looked and didn’t see the writing. 

“It’s gone.”  I said, putting a hand on the clean desk.

“We’re sorry, Shiori.  Once Kazuma told us it wasn’t you and explained everything, we felt stupid.  We wanted to apologize, but you disappeared.” 

“So, we wrote letters and put them in your old shoe locker hoping you’d get them.  Unfortunately, you didn’t get them until recently.”  They were all nodding. 

“I still got them.  That still counts.”  I said softly. 

“It didn’t sit right with us.  We thought you went and tried to do that again.  Even if you didn’t see them until recently, it still put a weight on our hearts.” 

“Kazuma mentioned that you visited a while ago and once word spread about you returning, these crybabies just about lost it.” 

“Most of us cried because we were relieved you were still alive.” 

“So, the great Tsubasa organized everyone to see you for one big apology.”  Tsubasa said in third person.  She really was a unique person. 

One of the girls, Nozomi, hugged me.  “I’ve wanted to do this for years.” 

“Nozomi…”  I said quietly.  I really hated when people touched me like this, but I dealt with it.  She’s probably regretted a lot of the words she said and wanted to make things right.  I remember her being very affectionate with everyone.  I slowly wrapped my arms around her.  Everyone gasped. 

“The old Shiori would never let anyone hug or hug anyone!” 

“No!  She’s still uncomfortable!  She’s just dealing with it!” 

“Me next!”  Hanayo pulled Nozomi off me and hugged me next.  Soon, one by one, everyone either hugged me or rubbed the top of my head.  Kyosuke walked to me and flicked my forehead. 

“What’s that for?”  I asked, holding my forehead.

“Making me cry.” 

“You’re tearing up now.”  I commented. 

“Shut up!” 

“Her bluntness didn’t go away.” 

“Some things won’t change.” 

“Shiori, will you forgive us?  We’re said horrible things and even accused you of something you didn’t do.  Kazuma really helped us see what really happened.  You were suffering too and no one noticed.  Instead, you were pushed even further away.”  Tsubasa asked with her hands clasped together. 

“It wasn’t anyone’s fault.  You were all hurt and dealt with it in your own way.  Everything is in the past.  None of us can change what happened.  Besides, reading the apology letters were more than enough for me.”  I replied.

That’s when everyone began to suffocate me with a huge group hug.  I hated every second of it, but it wasn’t as bad as the initial impact.  “You’re too kind.  You should hate us.” 

“I don’t hate any of you.”  After a few minutes, everyone let go with tear filled eyes.  “I’m making everyone cry again.  I’m sorry.” 

“There’s chalk.”  We turned to Kazuma who was at the chalk board. 

“What are you doing?”  Kyosuke asked. 

Kazuma wrote in big letters ‘self’.  “I think it’s a good idea to write the things we hate about ourselves.” 

“Why?”  I asked him.

“It’s part of the healing process.  We write the things we don’t like about ourselves and then we write the things we like.” 

Tsubasa ran up to the front and started to write.  “Wait!  You can’t hate that you’re not famous, idiot.  It has to be a trait of yours.”  Kazuma lectured. 

“Let a girl live!” 

“No!” 

I walked up to the bored.  I wrote down ‘past self’.  “Shiori?”  

“I’ll try anything once.” 

Nozomi and Hanayo ran up behind me and started writing their own things.  I added ‘not open’ and ‘dependent’.  “Dependent?  How is that a bad thing?”  Hanayo asked me. 

“I feel like I’m too dependent on people where I can’t do things myself.”  I explained.

“Oh!  I get it!  Though, it’s good to have people you can be dependent on from time to time.” 

After we were all done, the entire board was filled.  “Do we erase it all?”  Another student asked.  “No.  We’ll go to our desk and write what we like about ourselves.  Whether that be you’re trying to be an idol or you like you hair, it can be anything.” 

“Yes!”  Tsubasa cheered.

Kazuma handed me a marker.  I looked at my desk.  It was still weird to see my desk completely empty.  We all sat down and started writing.  I was still trying to figure out what to put.  A hand came from above my shoulder and wrote down ‘ribbon’. 

“Huh?” 

I looked and saw Kyosuke.  “It’s a start.  Ribbons look cute on you then and now.  It’s almost part of your identity.”  Tsubasa came over and wrote ‘stomach’. 

“You don’t need to know why I put that.”  She said with a snicker.  I pouted, getting her to laugh. 

“Smart is another one to put, miss I made it to the best high school in the country.”  Kazuma said with a sly smirk. 

“You made it to that fancy one in Tokyo?!”  They all shouted. 

“Yes.” 

“I can finally say I know someone smart!” 

“Does what I have to write have to be what I like about me?  Can it be about other things and people?”  I asked Kazuma. 

“It can be whatever makes you happy, Shiori.”  I nodded and wrote ‘X’. 

“Huh?  Do you like pirates?” 

“It’s…a person.”  I said.

“Boyfriend?”  Tsubasa, Hanayo, and Nozomi asked. 

“It’s someone I met.  He gives me the same feeling Kanade gave me.” 

Kyosuke started to sniff me an ended up at the feather in my ear.  “This smells like a man.  Did he give you this?” 

“Y-yes.”  I said nervously.  How the hell could he sniff that out?  It didn’t smell like his cologne at all.

“And you’re not dating?!” 

“He lives in Italy.” 

“Foreign?!” 

“This is straight from a manga!” 

I sighed from the girls’ reactions.  “I’ll be living with him after I graduate.”  The girls squealed. 

“Do you have a picture?!”  I took my phone out and found one of the pictures Lussuria took in secret. 

“Here.”  I’d probably regret this.  Everyone surrounded the phone. 

“He’s hot!”  The girls said.

“He looks dangerous.  Shiori, are you fine with him?”  One of the guys asked. 

“He hates everyone but seems to be protective over me.” 

“Just one look at you makes anyone want to protect you.”  Hanayo said, pinching my cheek. 

“You have that innocent look of a fawn.” 

“Thank you, Nozomi.”  I said with no appreciation for the comment.

I wrote a few more things.  Sure, most wasn’t about me, but they were still things that made me happy.  “Done?”  Kazuma asked. 

“Yeah.” 

“Good.  Let’s go back outside.  It is summer after all.  We shouldn’t be kept inside.”  After that was said, I was dragged outside and brought to Kanade’s grave.  A woman was there with flowers. 

“Mom!  Shiori is here!”  Tsubasa shouted. 

“I can see that.  It’s wonderful to see you, dear.  I brought flowers for everyone to plant.” 

“Thanks, mom.” 

“No problem.  It’s rare for everyone to be here all at once.”  Tsubasa’s mother handed me a plant.  It was a small rose bush.  “You should plant the first one.”  I went behind the stone and dug a hole big enough for the plant.  I put it in and put the dirt back over to fill in the hole.

After everyone was done, we were all tired.  Kanade’s grave looked almost complete.  When the flowers grow more, it’ll look better.  “I’m exhausted.”  Tsubasa whined.

“Who wants to go swimming?”  Everyone but me cheered. 

“What’s wrong, Shiori?  Don’t you want to go?”  Nozomi asked.

“I’ll skip.  Kazuma’s mom still wanted to see me.”  They’d ask me too many questions when they saw.  It’ll be too uncomfortable.  I couldn’t even let Xanxus see any of my scars. 

“We’ll catch up.  Let’s go, Shiori.”  I followed Kazuma out from the school and to his house.  His mother probably wanted to check up on my body.  She was the school nurse and knew my history out of necessity.  Kazuma’s mother greeted us. 

“This way, Shiori.” 

“Yes, ma’am.”  She brought me to a back room where no one could see in.  She used to be my doctor when I moved to Kyoto.  So, she knew my body pretty well.

“May I take a look?” 

“Sure.” 

She lifted my shirt and looked at my back.  “Everything looks great.  The smaller ones are just about faded.  You’d have to really stare to see them and that can be difficult.” 

“What about the largest one?”  There was one large scar on my back.  It was still in the process of healing.  It’s been like this since I was a kid.  Falling off a building definitely didn’t help. 

“I’m afraid this is one that might never fade.” 

“I figured as much.” 

She then checked the rest of my body.  “I’m really happy with how you’ve healed.  There’s a few that are still prevalent, but the rest are going away or have faded completely.  You’re lucky.” 

“They sometimes come back when I’m stressed.”  I pointed out.

“Do they go away after?”  I nodded.  “You have nothing to worry about then.”

“How was the check up?”  Kazuma asked as we walked into the living room. 

“It was great.  Shiori is all clear for now.” 

“That’s good.  So, do you want to go to the beach?  I’m sure my mom has a swimsuit for you to borrow.”  Kazuma suggested. 

“No.” 

“Why not?” 

“Actually, Shiori, I might have a swimsuit for you that’ll cover.”  Kazuma’s mom said.

“Huh?” 

“This way, dear.”  I was led to her room.  She opened a drawer and held up a long sleeved bathing suit.  The top half was a dark blue color that could be mistaken for black while the bottom half had geometric shapes in white, gold, and peach.  “The sleeves won’t go fully cover your arms and I don’t have anything to cover your legs, but you do have the excuse of the injuries you got from the fall.” 

“Do you think they’d believe it?” 

“Those idiots aren’t experts on anything.” 

I tried the bathing suit.  My legs were bare for the first time in a long time.  The majority of the scars were faded with a few larger ones still viable.  Despite that, it looked good.  “It’s been years since I wore a bathing suit.”  I said quietly.

“It looks perfect on you.”  She put her hands on my shoulders.  “I just found a beach skirt you can wear if you feel anxious.” 

“Thank you.” 

After getting dressed, we walked out again.  “Ready?”  Kazuma asked.

“She’s ready, but don’t pressure her to do anything.  I will not hesitate to send you to your grandparents.”  Kazuma instantly paled. 

“I won’t do anything!” 

“Good.  Have fun you two.” 

Kazuma and I went and took a bus to the beach.  We could see everyone setting up.  “There’s even food.  I hope they have enough for your stomach.”  Kazuma teased. 

“You better get some before I do then.”  I retorted.

“You’re not going to hold back?” 

“I’m getting hungry.” 

“What?!” 

“Ah!  Shiori is here!”  Tsubasa yelled, waving at us. 

Everyone turned their attention to us.  We got onto the sand.  It was weird to feel sand for the first time in a while.  I took my sandals off and fully emerged my feet into the sand.  I wiggled my toes.  It felt warm and calming.  “Come on, Shiori.  You can do that with everyone.” 

“Okay.” 

“I thought you would never show.”  Nozomi said.

“Kazuma’s mom talked me into it.” 

“We bought all this food for you.”  Kyosuke and the guys showed me the large table full of food.  My stomach clenched. 

“You should have said there was food to begin with.  I would have come bathing suit or not.” 

“See?  All you have to do is bribe Shiori with a feast and she’ll do anything.”  Tsubasa said, proud of herself.  It wasn’t a big secret I loved food and I didn’t make it a secret either.  We all started doing our own thing.  Some went into the water while some stayed back to either cook or stay in the shade.  As for me, I sat in the sand and played with it. 

“You look like a child.”  Kazuma sat next to me. 

“I haven’t been to a beach since I was a kid.” 

“Really?” 

“I grew up in Tokyo and only been to the beach once before moving to Kyoto.” 

“No wonder you’re playing with the sand.” 

“Hey, Kazuma, can I ask you something?” 

“What’s up?” 

“This guy confessed to me right before school ended.”  He gasped from sheer shock.  “He said I was beautiful and he loved me, but I hardly know him.  I didn’t take it too well.” 

“Oh no.” 

I nodded.  “I hit him and ran.  He found me again and said he wouldn’t give up.” 

“That’s cute.” 

“That kind of persistence is annoying.”  I drew multiple lines and circles in the sand.  “I said I was already with someone.” 

“Shiori, you didn’t.”  Kazuma already had a good idea what I did.

“I used Kanade.” 

“Why?” 

“I panicked.” 

“You could have told them about this X person.” 

“Things are a lot more complicated than you know, Kazuma.”  I groaned and hugged my knees.  If Gokudera saw me, he’d be yelling and throwing a tantrum.  

“How complicated are we talking?” 

“We’re talking Tsubasa kind of complicated.” 

“That complicated?  Well, you got yourself into this mess.” 

“I know.  What do I do?” 

“Don’t let him know as long as possible.” 

“Okay.” 

Kazuma rubbed the top of my head the same way Kanade used to.  “Kanade would have beaten the ever living shit out of him.” 

“She would probably put him in the hospital for even confessing without her permission.”  I could see Kanade pounding her fist into Gokudera’s head over and over.  She’d throw him to the ground and stomp until he bled.  I’m glad she wasn’t there to see.  “My head is spinning.” 

“It’s probably the heat.” 

“Probably.” 

When lunch was ready, I was given three plates full of grilled food.  It all looked delicious.  Some of my classmates stared at me.  As I ate, the more they either ate or stared.  When I was done the three plates, I went to get more.  “You’re eating more?!” 

“Are you guys done?”  I asked them. 

“We’re full.” 

“You won’t mind if I take the rest?” 

They all paled.  “Go ahead.” 

“Can you even eat that much?” 

I hummed and looked at the mountain of food.  “I’ve eaten more than this before.” 

“Where do you put it all?!”  I shrugged and began to fill my plate full again.  For the next twenty minutes, they all watched me eat the pile of food left over. 

“You’re a monster.”  Someone commented. 

“I was just hungry.” 

“What about dessert?”  Someone asked. 

“What’s for dessert?”  I asked in hopes there would be some kind of dessert. 

“Her eyes are sparkling.”

“There’s an ice cream stand a few yards away.  Do you want to go?”  Kazuma asked me. 

“Can I?” 

“You can.  Does anyone else want ice cream?”  He asked, but everyone shook their heads.  I guess they were too full from lunch.  Kazuma led me to the ice cream stand.  There was a large list of almost endless choices. 

“There are so many options.”  We commented. 

“What do you want?”  Kazuma asked me. 

“I’m still looking.”  They had just about every flavor. 

“I don’t think I could ever pick.”  Kazuma said.  It was our turn to order. 

“What can I get you two?”  The owner asked us.

“What’s your recommendation?”  Kazuma asked as I kept staring at the menu. 

“The hazelnut coffee ice cream is wonderful for this heat.” 

“I’ll take that.  Did you make up your mind, Shiori?”  I hummed.  The owner smiled at me. 

“Would you like the strawberry special?”  He asked. 

“What makes it special?”  I asked.

“I put toppings that aren’t advertised.” 

“I’ll take it.”  He handed Kazuma his ice cream and then mine.  My ice cream was pink with swirls of vanilla ice cream mixed in.  For toppings, there were small pieces of freeze dried strawberries and nuts. 

“Yours look delicious.  Can I try some?”  Kazuma asked.

“No.” 

“Why not?” 

“Mine.” 

Kazuma sighed.  “I should know you put food before everything.” 

We walked back to the group.  However, my good day turned sour when someone ended up tripping me on purpose.  I couldn’t exactly see what he looked like before I fell.  All I saw was black hair and a sadistic smile.  I didn’t fall, but it was enough to unbalance my ice cream.  The strawberry goodness fell onto the sand.  Kazuma audibly gasped.  Why was I getting so upset over ice cream?  I picked up the cold pink ball. 

“Kazuma.  My ice cream fell.  Someone did this on purpose.” 

“It’s fine.  We can get more.”  I stood up and saw a group of men from the shadows laughing.  They were staring right at me.  “Shiori?” 

“Coming.  I’m just thinking about what to do if I ever find out who tripped me.” 

“Please don’t hurt anyone over ice cream.  It isn’t worth it.” 

“It’s worth it, Kazuma.” 

He sighed.  “Only to you, Shiori.” 


	20. Chapter 20

That night, I snuck out of Kazuma’s house to get some snacks.  My stomach knew no bounds.  There was also the trouble of Hibari members following me.  I couldn’t allow Kazuma and the rest to get involved.  If they got hurt, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.  While on my nightly stroll, I could hear footsteps coming up behind me.  I couldn’t chance anything.  So, I hid in an alley way.  Two men stopped right in front of the alley, unable to see I was there. 

“What shall we do?”  One of them asked.

“We were told to bring her to the main branch to be readjusted.” 

“Readjusted?  That girl will be tortured beyond repair.  We might even need to put her down.” 

“We’ll find her easier if we split up.” 

“I’ll meet you back at the house later.” 

When one of them left, the other guy took his phone out.  He stayed on the line for five minutes.  When the call ended and his back turned towards me, I grabbed him, making sure his mouth was covered.  Before he could even look, I snapped his neck with ease.  I heard a small crack.  Instead of dropping the body, I dragged it further into the alley.  I messaged my garbage man where the body would be and left to get snacks.  In the small corner store, I found my favorite chocolates and brought them to the counter.  I paid and then left.  A familiar truck went by.  It seems like the garbage man collected the trash.  My phone buzzed with a message.  It was from an unknown person. 

“’I know what you did.’  Huh?  What kind of cliché text is that?”  Another messaged appeared.  ‘Come to the park.  I’ll be waiting for you, little bird.’  It was one of the Hibari.  “I wonder who wants to be in my presence.” 

As I made my way to the park, I sensed someone following me.  They weren’t doing a good job at concealing themselves either.  I turned and didn’t see anyone.  “You can come out.  I know you’re following me.”  Out from the shadows came a tall, spiky haired man.  As I looked closer, I recognized him.

“Levi?”  I questioned with surprise.  He nodded and walked to me.  “Do you have business?”  I asked. 

“You’re wearing Xanxus’ feather.” 

“Huh?  Oh.  I always wear it.” 

“Why?” 

“It’s important to me.” 

“I see.  What are you doing here?”  He asked.

“I came to visit someone.” 

“Why are you out late?”  He asked again. 

“I went to get snacks.  Someone wants to meet me in the park, so I need to get going.” 

Levi immediately tensed up and held my shoulders.  “Let me go with you.” 

“Why?”

“It could be dangerous.” 

“I know it’s dangerous.”  I said with furrowed brows.

“Why are you going?” 

“I’m curious about who wants to meet me.” 

“I won’t allow you to go without me.”  I put a hand on top of one of his.  He was just worried about me. 

“I’ll be fine, Levi.  Trust me, alright?  I can take care of myself.” 

“And if you’re ambushed?” 

“I’ll deal with it.” 

“Xanxus wouldn’t want you to go alone.” 

“He…doesn’t hate me for leaving?”  I questioned. 

“He’d never hate you.  He’s worried about you more than he’s ever worried about anything.  In fact, we’re all worried.” 

“Really?” 

“I wouldn’t lie about that.”  Levi kept staring into my eyes for a straight minute. 

“Fine!  You can come with me, but you can’t show yourself unless I give you a signal.” 

Thankfully, Levi agreed to this.  He filled me in about how everyone was doing.  They were all doing well and fighting like usual.  I think I’d be worried if they haven’t fought.  I didn’t tell him about dad.  If I did, he’d tell Xanxus and then they’d all be here to kill the Hibari.  That was my job and my mess to take care of.  In the distance, I could see the younger Hibari brother. 

“Stay back here.”  He nodded and hid himself.  I walked over. 

“I’m glad you made it.  I was afraid you’d be scared and run off.”  The Hibari said with his usual grin.

“Why would I be afraid of you?”  I asked sweetly. 

“I could end your life any second.” 

“And?” 

“You’re not afraid of death?” 

“No.”  I answered truthfully.

He hummed with interest, staying silent for a minute or two.  I didn’t care how much time passed.  It didn’t bother me.  “I’m interested in you, Shiori.  One minute you’re this sweet, innocent girl and then I hear you’ve killed my family.” 

“Why would I kill your family?  It’s just your brother that makes my life hell.  I’d rather go after him.” 

“You’re not bothered I’m calling you a murderer?” 

I smiled brightly.  “It’s not the first time I’ve been called that.  You get used to it after a while.” 

He stood up and handed me an envelope.  “Open it.”  I did and saw a large stack of cash.  I pulled it put a little and counted.  There was more than fifteen thousand dollars.  Why would he give me cash if he hated me?

“What’s this for?”  I asked.

“Take it and get out of the country.” 

“Why?”

“I looked into why this whole situation came to be.  My brother always goes overboard with everything.  This is no exception.  You didn’t listen to the rules and now you’re being targeted.  Run away.  You’ll be all set for a while until you’re settled.” 

“I’m confused.  Why do you want to help me?  I’m the enemy, aren’t I?” 

“You can say it was Kyoya who insisted.”  I tilted my head.  “He’s in the dark about everything happening and the reasons why you’re targeted.  He knows you don’t do anything without being provoked.  Even though we’re your enemy, you’ve not once held a grudge against or even tried to harm Kyoya.” 

“I don’t harm those who aren’t the issue.” 

“Excuse me?”  He looked at me, unsure how to take my answer. 

“Nothing good will come from harming Kyoya.  Sure, it’ll be fun to see everyone’s reactions, but it’ll get nothing done in the long-term.  If I want to do something where it hurts, I’ll go for the one that’s causing all the trouble.” 

“My brother.” 

“Exactly.”  I handed him the cash back.  “I’m thankful you thought of me in a good light and want to help, but this won’t change what’s been done.  My father is still dying.  Money won’t fix him and it definitely won’t change how I feel towards your brother.” 

“It’ll guarantee your safety.”  He countered. 

“Safety can never be guaranteed.”  I retorted

“Do you want to risk getting killed?” 

I shrugged.  “If I die, I die.  It’s as easy as that.  If that’s all you wanted to discuss, I must be getting back.  I’m tired.”  I started walking back to where Levi was hiding.

“Wait.”  I turned back around.  “Why are you unfazed at what we’re doing to you?” 

“Why do birds have wings?”  I asked him the same thing when I met him. 

“That question again?  It’s pointless.  Birds fly for survival.  When they’re kept in cages, they prosper.” 

“When you figure out the correct answer, you’ll know why I’m the way I am.”  I walked away, eventually meeting up with Levi.  “See?  It wasn’t bad at all.” 

“What did he want?” 

“He offered me a lot of money to run to another country.” 

“Why?”  He asked as we started walking.

“They’re after me, Levi.  His brother is the one that wants me killed.” 

“Does Xanxus know?” 

“He does.  He knows this is personal, so he’s letting me take care of the situation myself.  When I’m done dealing with them, I’ll go to Italy.” 

“Where will you stay?” 

“I’ll stay with him.” 

“You’re okay with that?  He is a man.” 

I sighed.  Everyone thought that because Xanxus is a man, I should be afraid to live with him.  He wouldn’t dare hurt me.  “Xanxus is the only person I have the capability of fully trusting.” 

“Why is that?”  Levi asked.

“He makes me feel safe.  When I’m in his presence, the screaming goes away.” 

“Screaming?”  I nodded and took out one of my snacks.  I took a bite.  “What screaming?” 

“My own.” 

“Shiori…” 

“I’m pretty messed up, but he doesn’t seem to mind.  I like that about him.  I know he wants to know what happened, but I need to face what happened myself before I can face him.” 

“I think no matter what you tell him, he’ll call you an idiot for worrying.” 

I smiled, thinking of Xanxus saying exactly that.  “I’m sure that will happen.” 

“Have a good night, Shiori.  I’ll be in Japan for a week.  Call me if you need anything.” 

“Thank you, Levi.  I might like some company actually.  I’ve been rather lonely.”

The next day, I was forced to go to the shops with Hanayo, Tsubasa, and Nozomi.  The three refused to go without me.  All I wanted to do was go home.  It was mundane, but it wasn’t entirely terrible.  I even bought myself some things.  I could tell Levi was watching me from a distance.  He didn’t need to keep watching me, but he was extremely protective.  He’d probably be by my side if I allowed it.  It was, in a strange way, endearing.  One shop in particular we went to was a lingerie store.  The three kept picking things up and wondering if they should get it. 

“Hey, Shiori, you have a boyfriend, right?”  Tsubasa asked. 

“No.”  I answered firmly.

“Who was the guy you showed us?”  Nozomi asked. 

“He’s a friend of mine.” 

“You’re wearing his feather.”  I nodded. 

“What color does he like?”  Hanayo questioned.

“I don’t know.  Why are you asking?” 

They wore an innocent smile that worried me.  “Don’t you want to impress him?  He’s a potential boyfriend.” 

My face lit on fire.  Me and Xanxus?  There was no way.  “It’s always good to have a few nice sets for special occasions.  We buy these things for ourselves.”  Hanayo led me off to get sized.  After being sized, the three went crazy, looking at different sets.  I could either look for myself or stand awkwardly.  So, I went to the opposite side of the store and looked through a few racks. 

I really had no intention of buying anything here.  Some things were just too cutesy.  It wasn’t my style.  “Are you looking for something?”  A clerk walked over to me. 

“I’m just looking.” 

“You don’t seem to like these styles too much.” 

“They’re too cute for me.”  I admitted.  She smiled and clapped her hands together. 

“Let me bring you to another section of the store.  This section is more for teenagers and women who want to be young again.” 

“I see.”  I was led to the very back of the store where the lingerie was on the sexy and revealing side.  There were only a few customers.  Most of the women looked like they wouldn’t wear lingerie of this kind. 

“I’ll leave you be.  If you need any help, don’t be afraid to bother me.  It’s my job.” 

“Thank you.” 

I walked to one of the tables and instantly saw a difference.  These sets were much more revealing and mature.  There were no hearts or cliché designs.  I actually liked the sets.  I picked up a black lacy set and actually liked it.  That’s when I saw movement from the window in front of me.  I looked and saw Levi in the distance. 

“What is he doing?” 

He pointed to the set I was holding and held a thumbs up.  I sighed heavily and kept looking, trying my best to ignore him.  I found a red set similar to the black I held.  I saw Levi shake his head.  I tilted my head.  What didn’t he like?  He mouthed ‘color’. 

“Oh.” 

I picked up another similar set that was a darker red.  Levi nodded.  “You’re finding things you like?”  Nozomi walked over to me. 

“Yeah.”  I said, keeping my eyes on Levi.

“I always knew you’d be this type.” 

“I just like them.  There’s no hidden meaning.” 

“You should try the light blue.”  Nozomi handed one set over.  Levi shook his head, making an X with his arms. 

“Who’s that?”  She asked. 

“He’s a friend.” 

“Does he know the mystery X man?” 

“He does.”  Nozomi held a dark navy blue set up.  Levi nodded.  Tsubasa and Hanayo walked in and saw Nozomi showing Levi made different sets. 

“What’s she doing?”  They asked. 

“A friend of Shiori’s mystery man is here and helping pick things out for Shiori.”  Nozomi explained. 

“Isn’t that weird?  He could be picking things he likes.”  Tsubasa said.  She did have a good point, but Levi isn’t that kind of man.

“No.”  They looked at me.  “He’s too loyal to do that.” 

“Oh!” 

The two joined Nozomi.  Levi was on the phone, talking to someone.  I hope it wasn’t Xanxus.  By the end, there was a pile of sets compiling of different designs and styles.  “There you go, Shiori.  You’re all set for seducing any man you want.”  Tsubasa said too enthusiastically for my taste.

“I really didn’t want that.”  I responded, gathering the pile and bringing them to the counter.  Levi was already there, with a card in his hand.  “What are you doing, Levi?!”  I questioned. 

“I’m buying them for you.” 

“What?  Why?” 

“Lussuria told me to.” 

“That’s who you were talking to?!”  He nodded.  The clerk smiled as she took the pile out of my hands.  In total, all of the sets cost about three hundred dollars. 

“If you want, you can add some matching garter belts.  It’s only a few more dollars.”  The clerk said with a sweet tone.

“Get them!”  Tsubasa chanted.  The clerk added them in. 

“Levi, you don’t have to buy them.”  I said. 

“No.  Let me.  Xanxus is allowing me to buy them.” 

“He knows about the sets?!”  The four of us shouted. 

“He just knows it’s something for you.” 

“Look at that, Shiori.  You have a rich man.”  Tsubasa said, patting my back.

“Shut up, Tsubasa.”

Levi gave me the bag and left.  “I wish I had a man like you do, Shiori.”  Nozomi commented.

“Shut up, Nozomi.  We’re nothing other than friends.” 

“Just leave her alone.  She did buy something after all.  We’ll leave her love life for another day.”  Hanayo calmed the two idiots down.  We left the store and went window shopping for a little bit.  I looked at the time on my phone. 

“I should leave before it gets too later.  I’d like to make it home before sunset.” 

“Have a safe trip back, Shiori.”  Hanayo said.

“If you see you know who, tell us how it goes.” 

“Shut up, Tsubasa.”  I knew why Kazuma stomps on her all the time.

“Visit us soon, okay?” 

We went our separate ways.  Levi was still following me.  I dealt with it and got to the train station.  He stopped when I got on the train.  When I got back to Namimori, I started walking home.  It was an accomplishment that I made it home a couple of hours before sunset. 

“It’s Shiori.”  I stopped and saw Tsuna, Yamamoto, and Gokudera. 

“Did you need something?”  I asked.

“How was Kanade?”  Yamamoto asked. 

“She’s doing well.  If that’s all, I need to get home.” 

“What’s in the bag?”  Yamamoto asked me.  He was persistent.  It was something I hated. 

“It’s just some things I bought.”  Gokudera squinted his eyes at the bag.  The name of the store was in French. 

“Lingerie?”  He said quietly.  The two beside him gasped. 

“You should keep things to yourself, Gokudera.” 

“Wait!  It’s actually lingerie?”  I sighed. 

“Are you even old enough to buy it?”  Yamamoto asked.  Tsuna was flabbergasted by his friends. 

“I’m seventeen.  I’ll be eighteen in a few months.” 

“You’re older than us?”  I nodded. 

“Why are you in our year?”  Tsuna asked the only legitimate question. 

“Between traveling and transferring schools all the time, there were some screw ups.  The school here just stuck me in a random class instead of actually fixing the problem.”  Plus, having to recover from two life threatening incidents that left my body broken definitely didn’t help.  It was why I was put in some advanced classes that helped get me up to speed.

“Where have you traveled?”  Tsuna asked with genuine interest.

“I’ve been to many places.”  I answered. 

“Like where?”  Yamamoto questioned. 

“I’ve been to Canada, China, Spain, and a handful of others.”  Their eyes were wide with shock. 

“Why did you travel to all those places?”  Gokudera asked. 

“I studied in different countries.” 

“You must be rich.” 

“I’m not rich, Yamamoto.  I’m just smart.” 

“How does that work?”  Tsuna questioned.  He seemed to be interested in traveling.  At least, he was interested in me traveling. 

“I put in an application.  Since I get nothing but perfects on my exams, the school paid for everything.” 

“You should tutor me, Shiori, since you’re so smart.”  Yamamoto said cheerfully. 

“I’ll do it for a price.” 

“How much do you want?” 

“A thousand dollars for every session.” 

“What?!”  They shouted. 

“That’s an absurd amount of money.”  Tsuna was flabbergasted.

“Is it?  That’s how much I got payed back in Tokyo to tutor some delinquents.  Though, their families were Yakuza.  I guess I’m used to how things were in Tokyo.”  Their mouths were gaped open.  I took a step away from them. 

“You’re involved in the Yakuza?”  Tsuna asked. 

“No.  They just gave me money because their sons are absolute degenerates with no futures in academics.  Now, I must really be going.  I’m tired and extremely hungry.” 

After that little run in, I finally got home.  I made a large feast for myself.  Food came first before anything else.  I’ve always been like this.  After eating a large stir fry, I washed all the lingerie I bought.  There were fifteen sets in total.  There was one that was too risky to wear no matter the special occasion.  I’m still not sure why I decided to take it, but Levi seemed adamant I get that one.  Was it Lussuria that wanted me to get it?  I wonder why, but we’re talking about Lussuria.  He’s more concerned about fashion than anything else.  I started the washer and took a well-deserved shower.  After, I looked at all the bills that were backed up.  Thankfully, Kaoru and Syoko insisted on paying for the larger bills.  The house mortgage included water and electricity.  That was the only large bill I had.  Everything was junk mail.  However, there was a letter from the hospital.  I opened it. 

“’It’s to my deepest regrets that payment will be due after the patient leaves our facility.’  They want me to pay the hospital bill?”  I looked passed everything and saw the price tags.  At the bottom were multiple dates and charges.  By today, I would owe three hundred thousand dollars.  If dad stayed for a couple more months, I’d need to pay over a million in fees.  “I see what you’re doing, Hibari.  I won’t be made a fool of.”  I put my shoes on and went to the hospital. 

Thankfully, the first person I saw was Shamal.  “Here to see your dad?”  I handed him the letter immediately.  His eyes widened.  “They’re forcing you to pay?” 

“Yes.” 

“I wouldn’t know anything about this.  You’d have to talk to administration.” 

“Can you bring me to them?”  I asked quietly.  I could see a few Hibari family members in the waiting room.  Shamal brought me across the hall to a room.  He stayed by my side when I went to talk to the one in charge.  And of course, it was a Hibari. 

“You move fast.  Are you here about the letter?”  He asked.

“I thought I wouldn’t pay anything.” 

“That would be true if it wasn’t for your little disappearance act.” 

I tilted my head.  “Why am I just now getting the letter?”  I questioned. 

“It’s the hospital protocol.  What will you do, miss?  Will you pull the plug now or wait until the patient passes to pay?”  Shamal was shocked into silence.  He wasn’t expecting that question and neither was I.

“I’ll wait and pay the full amount.”  I answered confidently.

“If your payment is late, there will be even more fees.” 

“I’m aware, sir.”  His smile had a sadistic tint to it.  He was enjoying this. 

“I wonder where you’ll get this money.  However, the head of my family will pay if you meet him.” 

I smiled at him, throwing both men off.  “Tell him I’ll meet him in hell.  I’ll reserve him a seat right next to me so we can spend all of eternity together.”  I said in a light, airy, and condescending tone.

“What?  Are you threatening the head of the Hibari?!” 

By this time, everyone was staring with fear.  Everyone in this damn town but me was terrified of the Hibari.  “I’m not saying I’ll kill him.  Just, if he’s drowning, I’ll destroy the life preserver.  Have a good day, sir.”  I turned around and walked to the door. 

“Let’s hope you’ll have a peaceful sleep tonight, miss.  You might have a nightmare.”  That’s how it’ll be.  I put a hand on the handle.  I softly laughed as I walked out.  Shamal ran to me. 

“You can’t stay home tonight, Shiori.”  He warned.

“Why not?” 

“They’ll possibly kill you.” 

“What can you do?” 

“I’ll bring you to a place where you’ll be safe.” 

I shook my head.  “I don’t trust you.  I have a feeling you’re not what you really are.”  He tensed right up.  I got my answer with his body language. 

“Why can’t you trust me?” 

“I don’t have the capability to trust anyone.  I’ll deal with my mess.  You’re only a doctor.”  I said coldly.

“You’re only a kid.”  I couldn’t stand to be in his presence anymore. 

“Your only job is to keep my father alive.  Keep it that way.” 

“What if I could help you pay?” 

“Everything comes at a price.  Let’s say I do let you pay.  What do you want in return?” 

“Nothing.” 

“You’re a liar.  Sure, doctors make a pretty penny, but who in their right mind would throw that much money away unless they were part of something else?  No regular doctor would, Shamal.  You don’t need to tell me what you’re involved in but know I’m aware of what happens in the background.” 

As I was walking down the street, I saw Kyoya.  He stopped me.  “You.”  I kept a neutral expression on my face. 

“Is there something I can help you with?”  I asked.

“One of my father’s men disappeared after he went to your place a couple of weeks ago.  Do you know where he went?  We’re afraid he’s been kidnapped.”  Kyoya said. 

“If I remember, his name is Kai, right?”  He nodded.  I hummed and put a finger to my chin.  “He looked over my house and then left.  I’m not sure what happened.  If I see him, I’ll let you know.”  He nodded and kept walking. 

I knew Kyoya was smart.  Naturally, he suspected me.  The entire Hibari family is my enemy.  Kyoya is only easy to manipulate.  I’m seen as a trouble child to everyone but him.  At the same time, I knew if his father told him to kill me, he wouldn’t hesitate.  The moment anyone tries to kill me is the moment they’ll beg for mercy.  Unfortunately for them, I can’t forgive easily or care about mercy.  They’ll get what’s coming soon enough.  One by one, I’ll show the Hibari family head just who he’s dealing with.  I’ll make this whole town go mad. 


	21. Chapter 21

Shamal went out to drink that night.  He knew Shiori was against the Hibari, but there has to be a limit to how much she’d push, right?  What is the limit for her?  Will the limit be her life?  He didn’t want to imagine Shiori being this reckless.  Her father wouldn’t want her to get hurt over him.  She’s already losing him.

Reborn jumped up beside Shamal on another stool.  “You look down.  What’s the matter?”  He asked, getting a coffee.

“How far would you go against a family that has done wrong to you?”  Shamal questioned. 

“It would depend on what they did, but I’d fight against them.  Are you thinking about Shiori?” 

“Apparently, there was a deal between Shiori and the Hibari head.  If she went with him, he’d pay for her father’s medical bills.  However, she somehow disappeared and now she’s hit with a large bill.  The total right now is a couple hundred thousand dollars.  If her dad stays in the hospital any longer, the fees will pile up.  She could be hit with a couple million dollar bill.”  Shamal explained the situation.

Reborn whistled.  “The Hibari don’t play around.  Did she go complain to administration?” 

“She did.  Unfortunately, the head of the department is a Hibari.  She was given a choice to either end her father’s life now or get hit with a big bill.” 

“Did she pull the plug?”  Reborn asked, his fedora covering his eyes. 

“No.” 

“She’s stubborn.  I’ll give her that.” 

“That’s not all.”  Shamal scoffed before downing his drink.  “She was also given the option to meet with the family head.  If she did, all bills would be taken care of.” 

“Knowing how stubborn she is, I’m sure she declined.” 

Shamal nodded before getting his cup refilled.  “She said she’ll meet him in hell.  She’ll even reserve him a seat right next to her.” 

“Shiori has balls of steel.  Even I wouldn’t threaten the Hibari like that.”  Reborn knew stressful situations make people do things they normally don’t, but from watching Shiori, she’s a calculating person.  This was all part of some elaborate plan she has in her head.  Hopefully, she won’t end up dead from it.

“When asked if she was threatening the head, she denied it but declared if she saw him drowning, she’d destroy the life preserver.”  Reborn couldn’t help but chuckle.  “She didn’t even want me to help protect her.  I even offered to pay most of the bill.”  Shamal spoke quietly.

“Would you ask Nono for the money?” 

“I would, but if I just showed up with the money, she’d be more suspicious than she already is of me.”  Reborn looked up at Shamal.  “She knows I’m just not a doctor.  She knows I’m in something deeper.  She didn’t even ask what I’m part of.” 

“You’ll have to be careful around her.  She’s a genius.  I’ve seen her during class and when she’s out and about.  All she does is observe everything.  In fact, I know if I trained her, she’d be a professional hitman in a matter of months.  She’s be up to Varia’s standard.”  Reborn warned.  It’d be fun to train Shiori if he wasn’t already training Tsuna.  Maybe after everything, Reborn will add Shiori into the family if she shows more potential.  Shamal finished another drink.

“I wonder if she’ll die tonight.”  Shamal wondered aloud.

“Probably.  The Hibari never back down.  I’m surprised she’s lasted this long.”  Reborn answered honestly.

“I’m afraid she doesn’t have a limit.  She won’t stop until she’s either dead or the Hibari back off.”  Shamal was frustrated.  Reborn wanted to know more about Shiori, but if she was already weary of Shamal who was the least suspicious, she’d automatically distrust Reborn.  “What do I do, Reborn?” 

“We only intervene if necessary.  We don’t want to be the ones targeted.  After all, we’re only guests in Namimori.”

That night, I waited to meet a few friends thanks to the warning from earlier.  They’ll add nicely to the collection.  I had my garbage man come over to assist.  With him was an apprentice.  He was about twelve, dressed in the similar gray uniform.  He had snowy white hair and black eyes.  “This is Kira.  He’s the next generation.” 

“It’s nice to meet you, Kira.  Be prepared to help, okay?  I don’t know how many friends will be here.”  He nodded.  He didn’t speak once as he was trained to do.  It reminded me of myself at his age.  A car pulled up to my house.  The garbage man stood beside the door where he wouldn’t be seen.  I just casually sat in the living room with the television on. 

“They have weapons, miss.”  Kira announced quietly. 

“Guns?”  I questioned.

“No, miss.” 

“Good eyes, Kira.”  I complimented.  He hid in the pantry where he could still see outside from the security cameras.  “How many are here?” 

“Four.” 

“Wonderful.”  They broke the door open.  “Good evening, gentlemen.  I was expecting more friends to show up.”  I announced with a sadistic expression.

“We’re here to start your readjustment.”  One of them spat. 

“That’s nice.” 

My garbage man instantly pierced the four with needles laced with a sleeping drug.  They collapsed almost instantly.  Kira came out and dragged them to the other room while the garbage man fixed my door. 

“You can dispose of the car.  Kira can help me for the time being.”  I said before standing up from the couch.

“I leave him in your hands, miss.” 

Once he left, I put my hair up in a mini ponytail and walked to the back room.  I put on an apron and a pair of gloves.  Kira had tied up three together while he put one on the table.  The man on the table was shackled down.  There was no escaping. 

“Is this your first time doing this, Kira?” 

“Yes, miss.”

I hummed happily in response.  “There’s about a couple minutes before they wake up.  What shall we do with our first friend, Kira?” 

“I can pick?”  He asked with uncertainty.

“It’s tradition after all.  You won’t cut them up, but you can help point me to where I should cut first.” 

His eyes brightened up.  “The arm.  He won’t bleed out immediately like he will with the legs.” 

“Wonderful!”  I took a large butcher knife  from the corner of the room and with one swift movement, the arm was severed.  Blood splattered everywhere.  “If this makes you uncomfortable, I won’t force you to watch.”  I said gently.  I didn’t want to scare him his first day of the job.

“I like blood.  I like how it splatters all over.  It’s life’s art.” 

“You’re perfect for this job.  You’ll become a pro in no time.”  My phone started to ring.  I picked it up and answered.  “Hello?” 

“Shiori!  Do you like the present?” 

“Lussuria?  If you’re talking about the lingerie, then yes.  I like it.”  The men in the corner started to wake up.  I chopped the other arm clean off.  It dropped to the floor.  Kira picked it up and bagged it with the other arm.

“What are you doing?”  He asked me. 

“I have a few friends over.  We’re having a party.”  The man on the table woke up and screamed from the anguishing pain. 

“Oh my.”  Lussuria said with a chuckle. 

“Quiet, you.”  Kira went and snapped the man’s head. 

“Bad, Kira.  You damaged the goods.  We won’t get as much as we usually do.” 

“I’m sorry, miss.  I don’t like screaming.” 

“You’re still learning to handle things.  Why don’t you gag the others while I finish this one up?  We can’t have the neighbors hearing.” 

“Yes, miss.” 

“Shiori?”  Lussuria’s voice was laced with worry.

“I’m sorry, Lussuria.  I’m in the middle of something.” 

“That’s alright.  You seem to be having a lot of fun.  I’m envious.” 

“Don’t be.”  I chopped the left leg. 

“Was Levi breathing down your neck the entire time you were in Kyoto?” 

“Not really.  He kept his distance to where I wasn’t too bothered.  It was strangely endearing.” 

“Xanxus told him to watch over you.  He’s really worried about you.” 

“I’m fine.” 

“We know that, but he can’t help it.  You’re too cute not to protect.”  My cheeks turned pink.  The three men in the back were muffled by the gags.  “Is there anything bothering you?”  Lussuria asked me. 

“No.  Why?” 

“In the sense of your psyche, are you alright?” 

“Actually, I feel like I can’t control myself.”  I replied honestly.

“How so?”  I cut the other leg. 

“I have urges to do bad things.  I feel like I won’t be able to control my impulses for much longer.”  He hummed. 

“That’s certainly a problem.  Let me talk things over with Xanxus and I’ll get back to you.” 

“Okay.”  I was a little down because I couldn’t hear Xanxus. 

“Don’t sound too depressed.  Xanxus is in an important meeting.” 

“I’m not depressed.”  I hung up and was able to finish the man on the table. 

“Who was that, miss?”  Kira asked.

“Rule number one: never ask about your client’s personal business.” 

“Yes, miss.” 

“That information can and will end up getting you killed and I wouldn’t want that to happen to you.” 

After bagging things up, I looked at the three in the corner.  “Who wants to volunteer to go?”  They were screaming.  “One at a time, gentlemen.  There’s no need to push and shove each other.  You’ll all get your turn on the chopping block.”  The garbage man walked in and locked the door. 

“Everything has been taken care of, miss.” 

“Thank you.  Can you assist me?  We don’t have all night.”  He nodded and brought another table out.  We did two at once.  Kira watched with amazement.  The two of us were in sync with each other.  Once we were done, we looked at the goods.  “Why don’t you help with this one, Kira?”  I offered, shackling the man to the table. 

“You mean it?” 

“I do.  I still remember my first time.”  I gave him the blade and put my hand over his.  I helped him with his first cut.  It didn’t completely cut through the bone. 

“What do I do?”  He asked, refereeing to not cutting the bone.  I made a fist with my hand and hit the top of the blade.  A snap echoed. 

“That is what you do.  It’ll still look like one swift cut.” 

“I see.” 

After we bagged the last man up, we let Kira clean up.  That was something he was a professional at.  Cleaning is very important if not the most important thing about this business.  One small splatter left behind and not properly cleaned will get you in a lot of trouble. 

“Thank you for the wonderful donations, miss.” 

“They’re not donations.  I want all the proceeds.” 

“Understood.” 

“Give my regards to everyone.” 

“Have a good night, miss.”  Kira bowed before leaving behind the garbage man.  Kira is too cute for his own good.  He’ll grow to be an excellent garbage man.

The next day, I went to visit dad in the hospital.  I sat down in my usual spot and stared at his face.  He was peacefully sleeping.  It’s how he always looked like.  “I read through Kanade’s journal.  I…I’m still not sure how to feel.  She saved me because I saved her from her demons.  She wrote to me that I could help others like her.  You should have seen it.  I was crying like a baby on the train.”  I held his hand. 

“I went to see her again.  This time, I saw everyone from my old class.  They apologized for everything they’ve done.  In a way, I feel lighter about the entire situation.  I think I can slowly move on to the Tokyo incident now.”  I could hear dad’s quiet breathing. 

“I’m not sure if you’d approve of what I’m doing recently.  I’m sorry for that.  I’m not the perfect little girl you wished to have.  The madness is starting to take over.  Imagine being hungry but no matter how much you eat, you never feel satisfied.  That’s what I feel.  The hunger will push me over the edge someday.  I know the day is coming.  It’ll be in the next few months if nothing is done about it.  I might have to be put down like the monster I am.”  I sighed heavily.  He probably didn’t want to hear my ramblings. 

“I went to the beach for the first time.  Kazuma’s mom gave me a bathing suit I could wear that covered most of my scars.  The rest were out in the open, but I was with my old class.  They think it’s from that day.  I liked the sand and how warm it was.  I didn’t want to take my feet out.” 

Shamal walked in.  “Good afternoon, Shiori.” 

“Daily checkup?”  He nodded and went through the entire procedure. 

“Were you visited by any Hibari last night?”  He questioned.

“Thankfully, no Hibari came by.” 

“That’s surprising.  The Hibari in administration was on the phone earlier.  Apparently, they went missing.”  He looked at me from dad’s chart.  I wonder if he suspects me.  It’s better to assume he does. 

“That’s too bad.  A friend of mine came over with his kid brother.  They stayed for dinner and left.” 

“That’s nice.  I’m glad you weren’t attacked.” 

“I’m glad I wasn’t either.”  I needed to put truth into my story.  Yes, I had a friend and a kid over last night.  The men did visit, but I wasn’t attacked.  It should be a simple story to tell. 

“Your father’s heart isn’t doing the best.”  Shamal broke the silence between us.

“I’m aware.  His heartbeat gets weaker every day I see him.” 

“I’m sorry I can’t help him.” 

I shook my head.  “You’re helping him pass easily without pain.  It’s all I could ever ask for.” 

“He’s scheduled for a few tests soon.  You probably don’t want to be here for that.”  I got the gist of what he was saying.  They were going to undress him and assess his wounds.  I stood up and put a hand on dad’s cheek. 

“I’ll be back tomorrow if nothing comes up.”  Outside of the hospital, I saw a few men in suits.  They were all Hibari.  “Just another thing to ruin my day.” 

They all stared at me when I walked by.  It was as if I was the ugliest thing they’ve seen.  Kyoya was among the men outside.  I saw his uncle walk to me.  “I see you’re unharmed.”  He said, eyeing me all over.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“One of my idiot cousins sent men to kill you.” 

“Really?  I didn’t see them.” 

“That’s funny.  I watched them enter your house.”  This was just great.  He knew I did something to them.  There was no denying that now.  “What did you do to them?” 

“Why do you think I did something to them?” 

“They never left your house.” 

I put my hands behind my back and gave him a smile.  “They did leave.” 

“I want to search your house.” 

“Okay.” 

I allowed him and Kyoya to follow me home.  Part of me wanted to kill them, but I decided against that.  I wouldn’t have as much fun as I do now.  My game would get boring.  Inside, the two looked around.  There was no evidence they were here. 

“It’s clean.”  Kyoya said. 

“How did I not see them leave?”  The uncle muttered to himself. 

“If you’re done, can you two leave?”  I asked.

“What the hell did you do to them?!”

“Why am I always the suspect?” 

“You’re too suspicious.  No one in Namimori would harm the Hibari but you.” 

“You’re right about that.” 

“See?  You’re admitting to doing something!” 

I shook my head and got out a pitcher of tea from the fridge.  “I only admitted to being the only one in Namimori that harms the Hibari.  I did not admit to doing whatever happened to the men.  Tea?” 

I gave the two a cup of cold tea each.  It was refreshing on this hot day.  “I also heard you’ll pay in full for your father when he dies.”  Kyoya’s uncle said.

“That’s right.”  Kyoya looked surprised and looked at his uncle. 

“Do you even have the funds to pay the hospital millions?” 

“Not yet.” 

“What will you do?  Will you suffer academically to work endlessly?”  His smirk didn’t bother me. 

“Do you honestly think I study?  I’m ahead of this school’s education by four years.  I’ve studied in multiple countries and learned multiple languages to the point of being fluent.  I don’t need this school.  I can easily test out of everything and graduate high school if I please.”  The two immediately tensed up.  It made me smile.  “I don’t need anything this town offers.” 

“Why do you stay in school?  Why not test out?”  Kyoya asked me. 

“I’m only staying for my dad.  After he goes, I’ll go.”  They remained silent.  I wouldn’t let them know my plan of destroying them. 

“If you’re thinking of running before paying, you’re wrong.  We won’t hesitate to put a bullet in your skull.”  The uncle said seriously.

“Don’t worry.  You’ll get my payment.” 

“I’m still interested, Shiori.  How will you get the funds?”  The uncle purred, his hand touching mine. 

“Why are you interested?” 

“If you do something for me, I’ll give you all you need.” 

I eyed him dangerously.  “What are you thinking of?” 

“It’ll just be little things.”  The way his fingers tickled the back of my hand disgusted me. 

“Are you suggesting I prostitute myself?” 

Kyoya looked at his uncle with slight disgust and surprise.  “You’re a smart girl.  I’m glad we’re on the same wavelength.”  His smile made my stomach turn.  That’s when my phone rang.  “Go ahead and answer.”  I looked and saw it was Squalo. 

“Hello?” 

“Did I call at a bad time?”  Squalo asked. 

“Sort of.  Did you need something?”

“I’m in Tokyo for a few days.  I’m wondering if you wanted to meet up.  Dino will be with me.” 

“I’d like that a lot.”  The two Hibari eyed me. 

“I have a gift from Xanxus for you.” 

“A gift?  What is it?”  I questioned with actual surprise.  Wasn’t the lingerie enough? 

“I don’t know.  He didn’t tell me anything.  I’ve got to go.  I’m going into a meeting.”  I hung up.  Xanxus had a gift for me.  Not even Squalo knew what it was. 

“Well?  What do you say, Shiori?” 

“I decline any sexual advances of any kind from you, scum.” 

“That’s a shame.  I was hoping to have fun with you.  I always wondered what noises you’d make.”  I could tell Kyoya was extremely uncomfortable.  The poor kid didn’t know just how sick his family was.  “Let’s make a bet, little bird.  If you end up getting the funds to pay for your father’s medical bills, I’ll leave you alone.  If you can’t, you’ll become my personal toy.”  Kyoya’s grip on the glass tightened.  He couldn’t speak out against his uncle.  When the payment comes for the four bodies, I’ll have more than enough.  That depends on how the auction goes. 

“Sure.  I’ll bet that.” 

“Shall we make a promise with blood?  You seem to enjoy that.”  I nodded.  The uncle took my hand and slit my palm open with a knife.  My fingers twitched.  “Does it hurt?”  He questioned with a condescending tone. 

“I guess I get to give you a wound too.  It’s only fair.” 

“Go ahead.  Cut my hand.”  I put my feet on the chair I sat on.  I’d give him a wound that’ll always remind him of me.  I pounced like an animal and tackled him to the ground.  I held both of his wrists down as I bit down onto his shoulder.  Kyoya stood up with his tonfa in hand.  “No, Kyoya.”  His uncle said between pants.  “Let her be.”  I bit even harder, my nails digging into his skin.  I let go and stood up.  I licked the blood that stained my lips. 

“Despite your hideous nature, your blood is sweet.”  It’d sell for a pretty price.  I’ll have to remember that for next time.  Those wannabe vampires would pay anything for this blood.  He sat up and looked up at me. 

“No one has ever done that to me before.  You’re interesting, Shiori Mori.” 

“We have our deal.  Get out of my home, trash.”  The two shivered from my tone. 

“You’re not an herbivore.”  The uncle said, standing up.  His hand covered my bite mark. 

“Out.”  Once the two were gone, I regained my composure.  “I’ll make them regret ever making me their prey.  Even if I don’t keep my end of the deal, I’ll just kill him and leave without a trace.”

After packing a few clothes in a bag, I left for Tokyo.  Squalo sent me the address of the hotel they were staying at.  I’ve been to Tokyo a lot recently where the ride didn’t feel long at all.  When I got to Tokyo, I went straight to the hotel.  I knocked on the door.  There was silence for a little bit until the door swung wide open. 

“Shiori!”  Dino exclaimed and hugged me tightly. 

“It’s nice to see you too.  Let go of me.”  I was used to hugging thanks to Nozomi, Hanayo, and Tsubasa.  Though, I still didn’t like it.

“Let go of her!”  Dino did and closed the door behind me.  Squalo looked as annoyed as usual. 

“Hello, Squalo.”  I greeted.

“Are you okay?  You look pretty rough.” 

“Do I?”  The two nodded.  “Well, I guess I have been under some stress, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”  The two were deadly quiet to the point it made me worry. 

“Is that family bothering you again?”  Squalo asked. 

“Yeah.” 

“I don’t know why boss won’t let us take them out.  He’s insistent on letting you deal with this alone.” 

“We’re alike in that aspect.  He knows this is personal.” 

Squalo sighed.  “This is what I hate about you two.  You’re both stubborn.”  I couldn’t help but smile. 

“By the way, Xanxus got this for you.”  Dino handed me a long, thin box.  It was a dark red box with a gold bow.  I opened it and saw a feather that looked identical to the one I wore.  The three of us were confused.  Why would he send another feather?  There was a note.  I took the small note in my hand.  It had perfect handwriting.  It was Xanxus’ handwriting.  This will make me feel better?  “Well?”  Dino asked.  I took the feather I had on off and put the new one on. 

“He sent a fucking replacement?”  Squalo asked himself with disbelief.  For some reason, I instantly felt better.  Squalo caught me before I could fall.  “Are you alright?” 

“I feel better.”  The two looked at each other before looking back at me. 

“What do you mean?”  Dino asked me. 

“The urges are gone.” 

“Urges?”  I nodded. 

“I told Lussuria I have urges to do bad things.  I’ve already done things I usually wouldn’t.  I’m slowly losing control of myself day by day, but whatever Xanxus did to this feather is helping me.” 

“Do you need us to cover things up for you?”  Dino asked. 

“I’m fine.  I have my own ways.  Though, it may be a lot more gruesome than what you’d do.” 

“You don’t know that, Shiori.  We have our ways too.”  Dino sounded too happy about that. 

“I guess being in the mafia does have its advantages.”  The two tensed up.  They looked terrified and pale.  “What’s wrong?”  I asked.

“Who told you?” 

“I’m not an idiot.  It was obvious.  Though, there was one thing that made it concrete.” 

“What was it?” 

“Nikita.” 


	22. Chapter 22

The single name made Dino look like a ghost.  Even Squalo was quietly staring at me.  Nikita is a powerful woman who made everyone who even heard of her go quiet.  She’ll kill as she please no matter the circumstance.  She had political pull in multiple countries along with moles.  I wouldn’t be surprised if her men were keeping an eye on Squalo and Dino the second they arrived in Japan.  This was her iron defense.

“How do you know that name?”  Dino asked with a shaky voice. 

“Are you scared of her?”  I asked.

“She’s terrifying.  She’s killed hundreds of men just for looking at her the wrong way.  That doesn’t even count the thousands she’s had assassinated.  Has she threatened you?”  I tilted my head.  Nikita would never hurt me but Dino didn’t know that. 

“She hasn’t threatened me.” 

“How do you know her?”  Dino asked.  Squalo kept silent during this.  He knew there was a good relationship between me and Nikita, but he didn’t know how I knew her. 

“I met her a little before the Tokyo incident.  After that, she personally took care of me.  To her, I’m her daughter.”  This surprised the two.  “I had a feeling you were in the mafia because of the business trips and Xanxus getting hurt.  I ignored it at first.  I didn’t want my hunch to be right, but then Nikita showed herself.” 

“And she confirmed your suspicions.”  I nodded to Squalo’s comment. 

“Those in the underground have only heard of her by rumor.  However, those involved in powerful mafias know what she can do.  She leaves most paralyzed with her presence alone.  Besides, she wouldn’t let me go with anyone that she knew couldn’t protect me.” 

“Why did she take care of you?”  Dino asked. 

“She had her reasons, Dino.  It’s hard to know what she’s thinking and I’ve known her most of my life.” 

The next day, Dino had a meeting.  So, Squalo took me to a bar where he was instantly recognized.  I knew the place from coming here with Syoko to pick her husband up when he got too drunk.  We were put into a small booth. 

“Get whatever you want.”  Squalo said.

“Alcohol?”  I tested.

“Don’t go overboard.”  I already knew what I wanted. 

A man walked over.  “What can I get you?” 

“I’ll take wine.”  Squalo replied.  The two looked at me. 

“Give me the same and put it under Kaoru’s tab.” 

The man smiled at me.  He instantly knew who I was.  “Of course, miss.” 

Once he left, Squalo’s eye twitched.  “What?”  I questioned cutely.

“Why did you do that?” 

“He won’t mind.  He can’t say ‘no’ to me and if he does, his mom will sort him out.  Plus, he gets too drunk to realize how much he spends.”  I commented with a small chuckle. 

“Shiori…” 

“What is it?  You look like you’ve wanted to say something since I arrived.” 

“Xanxus didn’t want you to know about the mafia.  His dad has been trying to persuade him to tell you, but he’s stubborn.” 

“Why won’t he tell me?  It’s not that big of a deal.”  I questioned with confusion. 

“He’s just worried about what you’d think of him.  In fact, we’re all worried what you’d think of us.” 

“Knowing you’re all mafia actually makes me feel at ease in a strange way.”  I confessed.

“It does?”  We got our drinks. 

“I grew up around the yakuza and then Nikita took me under her wings.” 

“She just protected you, right?” 

I took a sip of the sweet, bitter wine.  “That’s only part of it.” 

“Will you tell me the other part?” 

“Don’t tell this to Xanxus.” 

He swore in Italian and slammed his hand on the table.  “You and Xanxus are the exact same.  None of you want to talk to each other and it pisses me off.” 

“I have a reason for that, Squalo.” 

“What reason could you have other than being a pain in my ass?” 

I gave a sigh.  “I can’t face Xanxus if I can’t even face myself.” 

“Why tell me then?” 

“You’re one of the few I can trust.  I do trust, Xanxus though.  It’s a little complicated.  I feel safe when I’m with him and if I don’t tell him everything at once, I won’t be able to forgive myself.  I still can’t get over what happened in that place.  I know that’s what Xanxus wants to know the most.  He needs to know everything from the beginning.”  Squalo was just silent.  He took a few more sips of wine, soaking everything I said in. 

“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard someone say they feel safe with that shitty boss.  I’m surprised someone like you can say that without faking it.” 

“Why are you surprised?” 

“When you’re in control, you’re the least threatening looking person.  You’re the total opposite of Xanxus and yet you both understand each other on a level I’ll never understand.”  I smiled thinking of him.  It makes me want to get everything over with just so I can tell him.  “So, what else did Nikita do that didn’t pertain to protecting you?”

“Well, I was trained under her.  It’s another reason why I’m close to Yuko.  They all taught me to protect myself and how to kill anyone.” 

Squalo let out a yell.  “They what?!” 

“Do you have a gun?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Give it to me.”  He placed it on the table.  I picked it up and stared at the marksmanship.  I then started to take it apart. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Yuko taught me everything about guns.  I can handle one almost to her caliber and do instant repairs.”  Once all the pieces were on the table, I put it back together correctly.  I handed the gun over.  Squalo inspected it before putting it back.  “See?  Whoever put this together was off by a little bit.  That could have costed your life.”

“If you’re that skilled, why are they all protective of you?” 

“I’m Nikita’s daughter with no blood relation.  It isn’t a title to protect me either.” 

Squalo’s eyes widened.  “Daughter?” 

“They all see me as that.  She was the only one who made me feel better about the incident.  We’ve both been scarred and have seen the evils of the world.  Once I face my past, nothing will stop me from anything.  At least that’s what she told me.  If it wasn’t for you, I’d be in training to take over Nikita’s place.”  Squalo choked on his wine.  “Are you okay?” 

“Don’t give me surprises like that.” 

“It’s natural that I’d take her place since I’m her daughter.” 

“Would you take her place even being with us?”  Squalo questioned. 

“I wouldn’t.  Sure, I’d be seen as the most dangerous woman in the world, but it wouldn’t make me as happy as I am with you.” 

“I’m glad you don’t care if we’re killers.  That takes a lot of stress off my shoulders.” 

“That’s a relief.” 

“By the way, I’ve been wondering about something.  Every time we’ve called, you’ve been in the middle of something.  What is it?” 

I let out an uneasy laugh.  “Nikita really did show me the ropes to everything.” 

“Shiori.”  Squalo said in a tone a mother would when they wanted information.  “What does that mean?”

“Certain individuals have tried to kill me.  I took care of them and their bodies.” 

“Excuse me?” 

“I have a personal garbage man that takes the bodies to auctions.  Depending on the cut will depend on how much they’re sold for.” 

“And you cut these men up?” 

“Yes.  It was my second job.  The first job was to clean up everything where there would be no trace left.” 

“Do you go to these auctions?” 

“I used to, but they mentally tire me out.  There’s a lot of screaming of agony and pleasure.  It gave me massive headaches, but I was forced to go.  I did steal a book that had all the names and their information the last time I went.  If I want, I can blackmail each one and get whatever I want.”  I took my final sip of wine.  The glass was empty. 

“I take back everything I’ve ever told anyone about you.  You’ll be just fine with us.  Though, you might not be able to go on missions if Xanxus has any say.”  Dino walked into the bar and saw us.  He walked over.  “How did the meeting go?”  Squalo asked. 

“It went as expected.  They still don’t have the money.” 

“Who are you trying to get money from?”  I questioned. 

“I can’t tell you.”  Dino said apologetically.

“It’s a yakuza family.  They borrowed a loan from us and haven’t paid it.”  Dino looked at Squalo with shock. 

“You can’t tell her that!” 

“What family?”  I asked.

“Tachibana.”  Squalo said, ignoring Dino.

My eyes sparkled.  I put my hands together.  I felt a switch flip inside of me.  “Wonderful!  Will there be another meeting?” 

“You know something, don’t you?”  Squalo asked with a smile. 

“Did you forget about what we just discussed?  I have ways of making people talk and even better ways of persuading them.” 

“There’s going to be a meeting tomorrow.  Nono is coming for it.”

“Nono?”  I asked. 

“Xanxus’ father.” 

“Oh.  I guess there’s not much time to prepare.  By the way, how much money do they owe?” 

“Four million.”  I whistled.  That was a quite a large loan.  “Let’s go, Shiori.  Lead the way.”  We stood up and left with Dino trailing behind us. 

“Wait!  We can’t involve Shiori.”  Dino said.  He seemed really flustered.

“She’s Nikita’s family and has resources even the Vongola can’t get their hands on.”  I couldn’t help but giggle at Dino’s reaction.  That feeling was coming back. 

The two followed me all the way back to Syoko’s place.  “Shiori!  It’s a surprise to see you.  I see you brought friends.” 

“I’m on business.” 

She instantly turned serious.  “It’s been a while since I’ve seen this side of you, Shiori.  Are you willing to pay the price?” 

“I’d do anything for my family.  You know that.” 

She let out a small smile.  “I see you really are going with them.  I guess I can waive the fee since you look too cute all serious.” 

I pouted.  “I’m trying to be serious.”  She pinched my cheeks. 

“I can’t help it.  So, what do you need?” 

“I need info on the Tachibana family.”  Everyone in the restaurant froze and looked at me. 

“What business do you have with them?” 

“They took a loan and apparently don’t have the money to repay us.”  One of the men stood and walked over to us. 

“They haven’t been paying anyone back.” 

“They must have hit rock bottom.”  I commented and put a hand on my chin. 

“If they don’t have any money, what will you do, Shiori?”  Syoko asked.

“I have an idea, but I’m sure no one will like it as always.”  I took out my phone and messaged my personal garbage man and garbage boy.  I put my phone back in my pocket and smirked. 

“Put a scar over the left side of your face and you’d look exactly like Nikita.  It warms my heart to see you like this.  I’m proud.  Though, I’m afraid we don’t know much about the Tachibana’s financials.” 

“That’s alright, Syoko.  It was still nice to see you again.” 

Once we left, Dino kept staring at me with uneasiness.  “Miss.”  I stopped and saw the two I wanted to see.  Squalo and Dino just stared.  “Did you make friends, miss?”  My garbage man asked with a smile.

“They’re family.  You two will respect them.” 

“Yes, miss.”  The two replied. 

“Did you bring the book?” 

“Of course.”  I was handed the book from the auction.  It was a dark red velvet covered book.  “Our target might be the Tachibana.”  I warned both of them. 

“We’ll wait for further instructions.”  I turned towards Squalo and Dino. 

“We’re done here.  Let’s go back to the hotel.” 

“You don’t have anything to wear tomorrow.”  Squalo pointed out. 

“Why would I need something to wear?” 

“Don’t you really want to make an impact?  Once they see you dressed like how you are, they’ll never take you seriously.” 

“Oh.”  I let out a sigh.  “If you insist.”  I was reluctantly dragged into a clothing store.  It was easy to tell everything was very high end.  “Why are we here out of all the places in Tokyo?”  It was too expensive for my taste.  A woman walked over to us before Squalo could answer me. 

“What can I help you with?”  She asked with a smile.

“I need an outfit for her.  It needs to be business professional and intimidating.” 

“I’ll pick a few things.  Come this way.”  We followed her to the back.  She picked a few dresses out. 

“Can it cover my arms?” 

“Of course.”  She then disappeared to find more clothes. 

“Scars?”  Squalo asked.  I nodded.  Dino was just confused.  He’ll never get over that confusion for a while.  At least, he wouldn’t get over it for today.  The woman shortly came back with an outfit. 

“I believe this is what you’ll be looking for.” 

I took it from her and went to try it on.  I had a high waist black mini skirt that had a slit on the side.  Thankfully I had on tights so my scars weren’t visible.  On top was a long sleeved white button up shirt.  I walked out from the dressing room.  Dino’s mouth dropped. 

“It’s missing something.”  Squalo said with a hum.  I took the ribbon I always wore out of my hair and put it around my collar. 

“This?” 

“Something else.” 

“What’s missing then?”  I questioned.  He took off his jacket and hung it over my shoulders.  He took a few steps back. 

“Perfect.” 

“Almost.”  The woman said and walked over to me.  She put my hair back, leaving out a strand on the right side of my face.  “The hair makes it.”  I looked at myself in the mirror and was shocked with how I looked.  I’ve never looked this pretty before.  Squalo’s jacket really made the look complete. 

“Well?”  They asked. 

“I love it!” 

“Good!  It’s your official welcome as part of the family.”  Squalo put his arm around my shoulder.  “I’ll let you use my jacket for now, but when you come to Italy, your very own will be waiting for you.  Lussuria will make you a custom jacket.” 

“I can’t wait.” 

Dino got a call.  “Nono is here.  I’ll go get him while you two finish here.”  Once he left, the woman who helped me found a pair of black heels to finish the look.  Squalo paid for everything and we left with my old clothes in a bag. 

“Shiori?!”  Kaoru shouted before running to me. 

“It’s nice to see you too, Kaoru.”  I greeted.

“What are you doing dressed like that?  You look magnificent!” 

“Thank you.  I have a business meeting tomorrow.  Did you not see your mom yet?” 

“She told me about that which is why I was looking for you.”  He handed me a gift bag.  “This is for you.  I know I can’t stop you, but I can help you protect yourself.” 

“Thank you, Kaoru.  This will come in handy.”  He put a hand on the top of my head. 

“You better not get hurt or I’ll kill them all.” 

“I’ll try not to.”  He walked away. 

“What did he give you?”  Squalo asked.

“You’ll see.”  When we got back to the hotel room, we saw Timoteo.  When he saw me, he couldn’t help but let out a gasp. 

“Shiori?” 

“Hello.” 

“You look absolutely stunning.  Dino said you’ll be helping us tomorrow.” 

“I am as long as that’s fine with you.”  He shook his head before walking over.  He held my hands. 

“You’re family.  I’d be honored if you’d help.  With your experience under Nikita, you’ll no doubt help us.” 

“Thank you.  I’ll do my best.” 

That night, I changed into my pajamas and went through the book I received.  There were thousands of names written down.  I marked down certain pages and lines.  Timoteo was in the room with me reading a book he brought.  Squalo walked in on his phone. 

“VOI!  She wanted to help!”  I looked over.  “You’ll have to convince her yourself, shitty boss!”  Squalo threw the phone at me.  “Convince that idiot you can help.”  I picked up the phone. 

“Hello?” 

“Why are you being stupid by helping with a dangerous deal?”  My finger twitched at Xanxus’ rough tone.

“Excuse me?”  I said dangerously.  I could tell Xanxus froze up.  Squalo did.  Timoteo just put a hand over his mouth.  “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t go.” 

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”  He said quietly.

“That’s it?” 

“I’m not underestimating your ability.  I just don’t want you hurt.” 

“You’ll have to physically stop me, Xanxus.”  He groaned.  “Let’s make a deal.” 

“No.”  He responded.  I grunted which made Squalo take a step back.  Timoteo smiled widely. 

“You let me go and I’ll tell you everything you want to know the next time you’re in Japan.” 

“Why can’t you tell me now?” 

“It isn’t something I can just tell you without showing you.”  Squalo looked interested in what I said. 

“You’ll tell me everything?  No running?” 

“No running.”  There was a few seconds of silence. 

“Fine but if you get hurt, your ass is coming back with Squalo and you’re staying here.” 

“You say that like a threat but I’m sure you’re just impatient.”  I teased.

“Shut up.”  I ended the call. 

“Well?”  Squalo asked. 

“He accepted.”

Timoteo knew Shiori was perfect for the Varia.  The phone call proved it.  She put Xanxus in place with only words.  In fact, he remembered his own mother acting the same way with him and her guardians.  Shiori is definitely Vongola material and depending on how she does tomorrow might give her an official position within the family.  “He accepted the deal.”  She said cheerfully.

“What the hell did you do?”  Squalo asked. 

“I did what Nikita taught me.  I’ve been in tons of negotiations with her.  I know her methods very well.” 

“I’ll be behind you one hundred percent whatever you do.”  Timoteo spoke. 

“Are you sure?”  She asked.

“I’ve heard of Nikita’s negotiations and how deadly they can turn.  As long as we get the money, I won’t care what you do.” 

“That’s good news.  I can’t wait.”  Shiori said happily.  Squalo looked at him with unease.  Timoteo smiled.  It didn’t calm Squalo’s nerves. 

Later that night, Timoteo went for a walk.  Dino was with him.  “What do you think of Shiori?”  He asked Dino. 

“I think she’s a wonderful person, but I don’t know if she can handle something as stressful as a mafia negotiation.  The Tachibana are terrifying people.” 

“Why do you think so?” 

“She doesn’t seem the type to be assertive enough to even persuade a regular adult, much less a yakuza boss, to give us money.” 

“Is it because of her looks?” 

Dino nodded.  “She looks innocent and fragile like a glass flower.  I’m just worried about her.  She seems like she breaks easily.”  Timoteo looked at Dino solemnly.  Dino immediately straightened up. 

“Don’t be surprised if someone dies tomorrow.”  Nono warned quietly.

“Why?” 

“Just think of Shiori as another Nikita.” 

“How can I do that?  Shiori isn’t like that monster.”  Timoteo shook his head. 

“You’re mistaken, Dino.  They’re the same.  Shiori just wants to fool others.  She also has her own mission.  She can’t openly show that side of her like Nikita can.” 

The next day, I woke up and got dressed in my new uniform.  I put my hair up like yesterday and looked at myself in the mirror.  I didn’t feel awkward like I usually did when I dressed up.  Maybe it was because of the situation I was in.  Timoteo walked in with Dino and Squalo.  “Are you ready?”  Squalo asked. 

“Almost.”  I went to the bag I got from Kaoru and pulled out a gun holster for my thigh.  It was a perfect fit.  I then went to my bag and pulled out the box Nikita gave me back at the restaurant. 

“What’s that box?”  Squalo asked.  I opened it showing a beautiful silver gun with Nikita’s family crest engraved on the sides.  I put ammo in and put the gun in my holster.  “What kind of gun is that?” 

“It was mine when I was a kid.  Nikita only returned what I left behind.”  Once I had the book in my hands, I smiled.  “I’m ready now.”  Squalo put his jacket on my shoulders.  We left the hotel and saw the garbage man and Kira.  They followed us without causing any suspicion. 

“Who are those two?”  Timoteo asked me. 

“Garbage men.” 

“I see.  I’ve only heard of their existence.  I’ve never seen them.  Actually, I only believed them to be a rumor.” 

“They’re very much real.  If you do see one, you’re pretty much screwed.  These two are mine and work for me.  You have nothing to worry about.”  I responded gently.

“That’s good to know.” 

We arrived to a skyscraper.  “This is our destination.  They’re waiting on the forty fourth floor.”  Dino told us. 

“Double death, huh?”  I said to myself.  The three turned to me. 

“What do you mean?”  Dino questioned.

“The number four can be interpreted as death.  It’s used as a scare tactic for a lot of people in Japan.” 

“Shall I accompany you, miss?”  Kira asked.  I rubbed the top of his head. 

“You can’t just yet, Kira.  You’ll have to stay back with your teacher until I give you the signal.  You must know patience.” 

“What if you get hurt?”  He said with a pout. 

“I’ll be fine.  I promise.  If everything goes according to plan, I’ll let you hack up someone by yourself.” 

“You mean it?”  He said with excitement. 

“Have I ever broken a promise?” 

“Never.” 

“Good.”  The four of us entered the elevator. 

“What did you mean by hacking someone up?”  Dino asked. 

“Don’t worry about it.” 

“Shiori?” 

“Don’t bother her, Dino.  She’s getting herself prepared.”  Timoteo thankfully intervened so Dino wouldn’t bother me.  Thinking back, I never had any good interactions with the Tachibana.  They’ve spat at me and cursed my name for the Tokyo incident.  I honestly didn’t want to even talk to them, but I’ll be helping out Squalo and in turn Xanxus.  Once the door opened, we were met with a few men.  They instantly had their eyes on me. 

“We weren’t aware there was a woman with you.  We’d have the best wines and cheeses.” 

“Bring us to the meeting.”  I demanded.  They instantly shivered. 

“This way.” 

‘Keep your head up and shoulders back.  Walk with purpose.  Kill with your eyes and most importantly, detach yourself from all strings no matter who’s in the room with you.’  Those were Nikita’s words when she trained me.  There were even times where I was threatened and Nikita didn’t seem to care.  In those situations, she killed them after getting what she wanted.  I took a deep breath.  Right now, the people I’m with aren’t family.  They’re my pawns.  I could feel the feather calm me down.  Xanxus wouldn’t want to see this side of me, but I couldn’t help it.  After all, this is what I really am.


	23. Chapter 23

The door opened to a relatively large office.  The desk was in front of a wall of windows.  A man stood at each side of the desk.  “Welcome back.  Though, it’s futile to keep asking.  We don’t have your money.”  The boss was turned around in his chair.  He didn’t see me, but the men that did tensed. 

“Sir.” 

“What is it?” 

“You may want to turn around, sir.  They brought a guest this time.”  Once the man turned, he immediately recognized me. 

“What the hell is one of Nikita’s men doing here?!  She never makes a treaty with anyone!”  He slammed his fist on the desk.  He was obviously afraid because of my involvement.  Whenever Nikita was involved in any way, someone would end up dead.  We sat down in the chairs provided.

“That’s right.  I am one of Nikita’s men and there is no treaty.”  I replied coldly.

“Why are you here?”  He slammed his hand on the desk a second time. 

“I want you to give back the money you borrowed from this family.”  He scoffed at me. 

“Sorry, chick.  We don’t have the money.” 

“And why is that?”  I asked him. 

“We’ve been spending the funds to pay our men.”  I didn’t make a sound.  “What?”  He spat at me. 

“Is that your truthful answer?”  He clicked his tongue.  One of his men pulled out a gun at me. 

“Now, now, there’s no need for violence.”  Timoteo said. 

“Stay out of this, old man.”  The man on the right said.  I put a hand over Timoteo’s to reassure him.  I have full control of the situation despite what it may look like. 

“It’s okay.  I’ll be fine.”  I took out the book to show the boss what I had.  He immediately recognized it but kept silent.  “Lying is one of the strongest weapons in the world.  It can give you the greatest profit and can also give you the greatest problems.  Lying is a form of gambling.  You’re taking a big risk since you don’t know whether the person you’re lying to knows the truth.  If they believe you, you have won the gamble.”  I smiled with no emotion in my eyes.  “However, if they know the truth, you’ve lost.” 

“What are you getting at?”  The Tachibana leader questioned.  I opened the book. 

“You recognize this book, don’t you?” 

“I haven’t seen it in my life.”  I went to the page where I marked his name. 

“Someone must have used your name to make a purchase then.” 

“So what?”

“Don’t you want to know what the purchase was?” 

“I’m not interested.  I don’t want to know what kind of sick things that were bought.”  I turned a few more pages. 

“I thought you didn’t recognize the book.  Only those who have been to the auction know what’s there and what the books even look like.”  I stopped and looked up at him without any emotion. 

“I’ve heard rumors of the book.” 

“That’s it?  Just rumors?”  I questioned.  He nodded.  “I’ll have some people look into it and dispose those that started the rumors.  It’ll be a shame if the auction gets shut down.” 

“Why would you want it open in the first place?  That place is rumored to be hell on earth.”  I looked him right into the eyes. 

“Why don’t you use that puny brain of yours and think for once?  Why would one of Nikita’s men want that auction open?  You can do that one little, easy thing, right?”  I mocked him in a teasing voice.  I gave him a small smile.  He clenched his fist tightly. 

“You’re one of those damn foxes.”  Checkmate.  He realized his own mistake and froze.  I dialed the number next to his name that was on the book.  His phone started ringing.  “Who the hell is calling me now?” 

He answered it.  “Hello?”  There was no answer.  He looked at me with my phone in my hand and started to sweat. 

“It seems like one of your men did this to you and have been spending all the funds on chickens.” 

“That’s impossible!  None of my men even have this phone’s number!”  He let out a gasp.  He was digging himself a deeper hole the more he spoke.  He didn’t even realize it.

“You lost the second I got involved, Tachibana.  Now, let’s discuss how you’ll pay us back.”  I commented.

“I don’t have any more money.” 

“I’m aware.  There are other ways of paying us back.”  I gave a cold, sadistic smile.  “Let’s say you give me three of your men.  I want your right hand man and two lackeys of my choosing.” 

“No.” 

“I’ll take you then.”  I retorted.

“What?!” 

“That is my condition.  What will it be, Tachibana?  Your life or your men’s?” 

“You can’t make me choose.” 

“If you don’t choose in the next five minutes, I will choose everyone in this room.”  They all had their guns pointed out at me.  Even the leader did.  Timoteo was the only calm one.  Dino and Squalo had their own guns out and pointed.  “Put down your guns.”  I commanded.  They stayed quiet. 

“What will you do now?  You’re outnumbered.”  The Tachibana leader said with a smirk.

“That is a shame.  Though, I ordered you to put your guns down.” 

“I don’t listen to women, especially Nikita’s dogs!” 

“I said, ‘put them down’!”  In that instance, one of the men was shot dead.  Everyone turned to him and then at me.  Nikita must have been told and is giving me assistance from afar.  “There’s one man.  Who will the other two be?”  The garbage man and Kira walked in. 

“You called, miss?” 

“Kira, you get to take care of the dead one.  He’s too ugly to sell well on the market.”  I said gently.

“Thank you, miss.”  I kept my eyes on the Tachibana head.  He was shaking by now. 

“I’m sure you’ve never felt the fear of your life possibly ending within seconds.  Isn’t it exhilarating?”  I questioned with a giggle.

“Shut up.” 

“I need an answer, Tachibana.” 

“Take them.  Take my men.  Take all of them.”  He spoke quietly.

“You can’t do that, boss!”  His right hand man yelled. 

“I’m saving my own ass!”  The garbage man took him while Kira dragged the other man.  I stood up and glared at him. 

“You’re a despicable, ugly, little man.  Will you buy back your men when they’re in pieces and feast on their flesh?”  He refused to look up at me.  I let some of my flame come to my fingers.  I touched him and he instantly passed out.  The garbage man came in.  “Take him and leave him alive.” 

“Shall I give everyone your best regards?”

“Yes, and make sure Kira does a fine job.  We want as much revenue as possible.” 

“Of course, miss.  Shall I put the money in your account?” 

“Not this time.  You will put it in Timoteo’s account.”  I looked down at him.  “That is unless you don’t trust these people.  If that’s the case, I’ll transfer the money from my account with a receipt from the auction.”  He shook his head. 

“I can trust them.” 

Once Timoteo gave his information, I looked at Dino.  He looked sick, as if he’d puke any second.  “Are you alright?”  I asked.

“I don’t know if I’ll be alright any time soon.” 

“I’m sorry if I surprised you.”  I heard heels walking towards the room.  I looked and saw Nikita. 

“Wonderful work, Shiori.”  The men turned around. 

“Did a little birdy tell you about this?”  I asked lightly.

“You could tell?” 

“I know the work of your snipers better than anyone else.  How could I not tell you were somewhat involved?”  She chuckled and lit a cigar. 

“I wanted to see what you looked like in a negotiation.” 

“Did I do okay?”  I asked quietly.  I wanted to get her approval.  It’d make me more confident in my abilities.

“I wouldn’t have done exactly what you did, but you exceeded expectations as always.” 

“Really?” 

“When I was notified, I was a little worried you’d let your emotions get the better of you.”  She walked over to me and put a hand on top of my head.  “With time, you’ll become an even greater woman than me.  You’ll serve the Vongola well.  When the time comes, we’ll have a meeting, just the two of us.”  I knew what she meant.  After my father dies, we’ll have a meeting about assets and such. 

“Okay.” 

“Just because you’re not under my wings doesn’t mean you can’t rely on me time to time.  You’re still my daughter.” 

“Thank you, Nikita.” 

We went back to the hotel.  Nikita went her separate way.  There was food already waiting for us.  My stomach grumbled loudly.  “You must have worked up an appetite.”  Timoteo mused. 

“I didn’t really work up any appetite.  It’s my lunch time.”  I didn’t hesitate to dig into my large plate of Italian food.  It was delicious. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.  Why did you tell the garbage man to take the Tachibana leader?”  Dino questioned. 

“I can tell the value of people by a single look.  The henchmen that were already taken in won’t accumulate to the money that was loaned.” 

“What will happen to the rest of the family?”  He asked me. 

“They’ll be consumed by other families that can provide them with what they need.”  After a couple of minutes, we all finished our meal.  We were all stuffed.  “That was delicious.” 

“Just wait until you live with us.  You’ll get this every day.”  Squalo said. 

“I can’t wait.” 

“Are you fine with living with Xanxus?”  Dino asked. 

“I’m more than fine.  Why?” 

“I’m just making sure.” 

“Shiori will do just fine.  She’ll straighten everyone out if there’s a problem.”  Timoteo said a little too happily.

“If anyone has problems, they’ll have to deal with me.”  Squalo really was protective of me.  He might as well be my big brother. 

“It’ll be nice to have you around, Shiori.  Xanxus won’t be as grumpy as usual.”  Dino commented.  I couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Me being there won’t stop him from being grumpy.” 

“That is true.  He probably doesn’t show his grumpy side when you’re around.”  Timoteo said.  I shook my head. 

“He’s even grumpier with me, almost childlike, especially when I don’t do something he wants.” 

“That isn’t a bad thing.” 

We all relaxed for the rest of the day.  Timoteo came to visit me.  “Is everything alright?”  I asked. 

“Everything is fine.  I just wanted to ask you something I didn’t want the others hearing.”  I sat up on Squalo’s bed.  He was currently with Genzo getting his swords sharpened. 

“What did you want to ask?” 

“What did Nikita mean ‘when the time comes’?  Your face instantly dropped.  Is there something going on?  If there is, I want to help you get through it.” 

“It’s nothing.”  He looked me right in the eye with a frown, knowing I lied.  Just a single look from him made me feel guilty for lying.  It was as if I lied to my dad.  “My dad is dying because of an attack.”  I admitted.

“I’m sorry, Shiori.” 

“The Hibari family broke him to get to me.  He’s in a coma he won’t wake up from.  His health is slowly declining.  His heart will give out soon.  It gets worse every day.” 

“Does Xanxus know?” 

“He doesn’t and I don’t want him to.  He’ll lose it and kill half the town out of spite.  He knows my business with the Hibari is personal.” 

“Were you pretending to be strong in front of that family?” 

“I’ve been threatened left and right almost every day.  They want to see me break.  If I show them any weakness, they’ll use that to taunt me.  I have no choice but to be strong.  The only thing getting me through it is knowing I’ll be in Italy after.”  Timoteo’s expression stayed neutral.  “Syoko is paying most of my bills and Nikita will cover the costs for my dad’s funeral.” 

“And the other bills?” 

“I have them covered.  I’ll be fine.” 

“What about the hospital bills?”  I let out a small sigh.  I’m sure he wouldn’t like what I’ll tell him. 

“I wouldn’t have to pay the bill, but I ended up making the Hibari head mad.  You see, if I went with him, I wouldn’t have to pay for the hospital bills.  I did at first, but I ended up disappearing on the way there.  They did give me a few options to help with the billing.” 

“That’s good they gave you options.”  I shook my head. 

“They gave me two options.  Either I pull the plug or I wait until he dies.”  Timoteo’s eyes widened. 

“Those were your options?”  It was bad enough to surprise a mafia boss.

“I refused and insulted the family head.  I have the funds to pay the bill they sent, but they don’t know that.  I’d rather keep it a surprise.  If they know, they’ll charge me even more.” 

“You’re a strong girl, Shiori.  Most would buckle under the pressure.” 

“I was practically raised by Nikita.  It’s in my nature to go against everything I don’t agree with.” 

“She certainly raised you well.” 

Squalo walked in with a new polished, sharpened sword.  “Welcome back, Squalo.  How was Genzo?”  I asked.

“That old geezer is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” 

“I’m glad.  He’s very passionate about his work.”  Squalo unsheathed his sword and showed me and Timoteo.  I could see my reflection in the blade.  “That’s some quality work.” 

“Isn’t it?  By the way, Xanxus called.” 

“What did he say?”  I asked. 

“He wanted to know if you were hurt and if the deal went well.  I told him you were fine and we got our money.  You should have heard how annoyed he was.”  Timoteo and I sighed.  No matter the situation, that man will always be annoyed with something. 

“Let me guess.  He was happy to hear I’m fine but is annoyed that it went well because I told him so.”  I said plainly.

“Do I even need to answer you at this point?”  Squalo asked.

“It’s almost magic you know how my son thinks.”  Timoteo said happily.  He got that happy go lucky smile that made me feel off. 

“There isn’t any magic involved.”  Dino entered the room with his men.  They were surprised to see me there. 

“What’s she doing here?”  One of the men asked.  Timoteo stood up. 

“You all know Shiori?”  He asked with surprise.

“They called me a whore when I first met Dino.”  Squalo glared at them. 

“You called her a what?!” 

“It’s alright, Squalo.  I don’t mind.  They think I’m pretty enough to be considered one.”  Squalo looked down at me and blinked. 

“That’s really sad.” 

“You don’t seem mad anymore.”  Timoteo smiled, knowing very well what I was doing to Squalo. 

“Lussuria would yell at you if he heard you.”  Squalo said.

“I know.  That’s why I say it without him around.  He’s too loud.”  He let out a sigh and sat down.  He couldn’t win against me and knew that. 

“What are you doing back, Dino?”  Timoteo asked. 

“I was contacted by someone about the auction.  We all have an invitation to go tonight.  Apparently, not just anyone can go.”  Dino explained.  I didn’t like where this was going. 

“Don’t we have to sign our names to sign in?”  Squalo asked me. 

“That would be bad for us if any of our rivals found out.”  Timoteo said to himself. 

“It’s true you have to sign individually.  However, there is an exception and it’s the only exception.”  They all looked at me. 

“Why do you look troubled?”  Dino asked with concern.  I let out a sigh. 

“The exception is if I go with you and sign my name, you won’t have to sign anything.  I’m a fox.  As long as I’m there, they won’t question you.  They wouldn’t dare.” 

“Do you not want to go?”  Timoteo asked. 

“I don’t, but I’ll do it for you.” 

“Is it that bad of a place?”  Dino asked with fear.  He was still pale from earlier. 

“It’s not as bad as you think.  I just don’t want to go for all the attention.” 

“Thank you, Shiori.”  I took out my phone and sent a message. 

“There.  Everything is taken care of.  We’ll have a private booth on the second floor.  Since we’re VIP, we’ll need to arrive an hour early.” 

“Just from a message, Shiori saves the day.”  Dino said.

“Of course, idiot!  It’s Shiori.”  Squalo and Dino started to have a quarrel.  Though, it was more of Squalo yelling at Dino.  Most conversations with Squalo when he was yelling was always one sided unless he demanded an answer.  The best way to defuse the situation is to make a constipated face.  He gets self-conscious about his appearance and will go to see if his hair is fine.  Dino hasn’t caught onto that and they knew each other for years.

“This will be your life soon, Shiori.”  Timoteo said.

“Squalo yelling at everyone?  Xanxus better pay for my hearing aids.”  He laughed. 

“With you around, he might yell less.” 

“I doubt it.” 

“If not, Xanxus will put him in place.” 

“By throwing things?  In my short experience with them, that makes Squalo yell even louder.”  Soon, his yelling was getting too much for me.  My head was pounding.  “Squalo.”  I said in a deep, annoyed voice.  Everyone froze and looked at me.  He looked scared. 

“Yes?” 

“Stop yelling.  I’m getting a headache because of your voice.  Just because you can get away with it normally doesn’t mean you can with me.  Got it?” 

“Y-yes, ma’am.” 

“Now that we’re on the same page, we should all get ready for tonight.  Dress presentable.”  The room cleared out.  Timoteo was the only one there. 

“You’re absolutely magical.” 

Squalo walked in.  “This is my room.”  He said awkwardly. 

“Wear a suit.”  He nodded and took his clothes into the bathroom. 

“We’ll meet you two in the lobby.”  Timoteo left the room.  Thankfully, I was still in the same clothes as earlier.  I fixed my hair to make it neater.  Squalo came back in a black suit after twenty minutes. 

“Is this good?”  He asked.

“Perfect.”  His hair was tied back which was a nice touch. 

“Here.”  He put the jacket he always wore on my shoulders.  “Are you ready?”  He asked. 

“I’m ready.”  We walked down to the lobby and saw Timoteo and Dino in their suits.  Timoteo looked adorable and even had a bright smile. 

“I see you two are ready.  Let’s go.”  The four of us walked outside.  That’s when a familiar woman walked to us.  The three behind me were on guard. 

“I’m here to escort your assess.” 

“Long time no see, Chen.”  I greeted.  She smiled. 

“I see you didn’t call me that ugly name.” 

“Push me and I won’t hesitate.”  I turned to the three.  “Chen is an acquaintance of mine.  She won’t hurt you.” 

“Nikita threaten me already.  I won’t kill you.  Now, let’s go.”  I walked beside Chen while the three stayed behind us.  It was rather quiet except for the small conversation behind me.  We got to a normal looking building before walking down the alleyway and entering a different door.  There were stairs that led to the basement.  It was completely dark with the exception of dimly lit candles.  They wanted this to look as cult like as possible.  A man with a mask met us at the door. 

“Welcome back, miss.  We are thankful for your addition.  You’re expected to make another fortune tonight.” 

“Thank you.”  We were handed masks.  I turned to the three.  “Put these on.  They help hide your identity.”  The men got masks that covered their entire face.  They were blank with traditional fox markings.  As for me, I got a black mask that covered only my eyes.  It was decorated with gold and red eyeliner. 

“Why is yours different?”  Dino asked. 

“The miss wears this mask to indicate her status.  Only those with familiar masks are allowed to look at her for more than three seconds at a time.” 

“Enough talking.”  I said.  The man smiled. 

“Of course.  Your escort will bring you to the main lobby while we wait for more guests.”

Chen led us to the lobby.  Men and women in various masks were standing around with drinks in their hands.  A waitress walked over with glasses of wine and a juice box.  “Welcome back, miss.  Juice?” 

“Yes.”  She handed me the box.  This perplexed the men as they received wine.  I glared at them with a pout.  They were ordered by Nikita to always have juice for me when we used to come.  I was only a child at the time.  “Don’t question it.”  I could tell other patrons were staring at us. 

“Excuse me.”  I turned and saw a man with a mask similar to mine. 

“What?” 

“You wouldn’t happen to be the highest esteemed guest I heard about, right?” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  His dark eyes narrowed.  He then laughed quietly.  His hand cupped my cheek, his mouth getting closer to my ear. 

“It’s a shame you aren’t back on stage.  I’d buy you again and have more fun than last time.”  My eyes widened.  I thought Nikita handled the rest of them.  Timoteo immediately noticed my change in demeanor.  “Are you scared, princess?” 

“Don’t call me that.”  My voice was low. 

“Your body might have changed, but I still see the little girl that begged us to make it stop.”  In the next second, the man’s hand dropped to the ground.  Everyone looked at Chen. 

“We missed one.” 

Everyone turned their backs on us.  It was a weird rule they had.  The man screamed and held his arm.  “You can’t run from us, princess.  You’re not under that Russian bitch anymore.  She can’t protect you.” 

“That’s right.  I’m not directly under Nikita anymore.  However, someone else is.”  He looked at Chen. 

“You bold to talk to Nikita daughter like that.”  She flipped her blade up and down. 

“She isn’t your ally anymore.  Why are you protecting her?!” 

“She still one of us.”  Chen responded casually. 

“She betrayed you.”  The two of us started to laugh. 

“Is that the rumor?”  I questioned between laughs. 

“He dumber than bitch.  So, what you want me to do?”  The man looked at me with a mixture of hatred and fear.  I scoffed at the man. 

“Dispose of him slowly.  I want to hear him beg.”  Chen smiled. 

“You heard the boss.  I get to kill you now.  Don’t pass out on me or else it won’t be fun anymore.”  The man started to scream as Chen sliced and punctured his body multiple times.  She was able to get ten minutes of torture in before he lost his voice.  “You scream like girl.” 

“Wait, Chen.”  I stopped her with an idea.

“What?” 

“Bring him downstairs with the rest.  They’ll make him stay alive.”  Chen stood up with the man in her grasps. 

“Good idea.  We split profit?” 

“That’s fine by me.  I wonder who will buy him.”   

We all heard the soft click of a button.  “Ladies and Gentlemen, the auction will soon commence.  Please take your seats.”


	24. Chapter 24

The four of us walked towards a black, industrial door.  Chen was picking up her mess.  I opened the door and saw comfortable, high-end, designer chairs and tables.  There were more drinks and snacks for us.  They always treated their guests well.  Once I closed the door, we sat down.  We could see men and women all dressed up down below at tables. They were packed in as usual.

“You can take your masks off for now.”  I instructed.

“Can we talk?”  Dino asked me. 

“Yes.  Just keep it quiet.” 

“Can I ask what just happened with that man?” 

“He’s one of the key people that caused the Tokyo incident.”  They all let out gasps with wide eyes. 

“What do you mean?”  Squalo asked.

“As you’re all aware, the Tokyo incident involved human trafficking and I was caught up in it.  A major detail I left out was I was part of the auction no one wants to be part of.  I was put up for sale and bought by one of that man’s boss in this very establishment years ago.  I’m sure you can piece together what else happened.” 

“That bastard.”  Squalo cursed under his breath. 

“Chen took care of him.”  Timoteo put his hand over mine.  It was as if he knew I was still bothered by it.  “I’ll be fine.  It would have bothered me a lot more a few months ago.”  I let out a deep sigh.  I was already tired and wanted to sleep.  A man walked onto the stage.  Thank god it was finally getting started.  

“On behalf of our organization, I’d like to thank you all for coming.”  Everyone gave a resounding applause.  “We have an abundance of items for sale.  As always, the high ticket items will be at the end.”  I turned to the three. 

“Put your masks on.”  Thankfully, they did without asking any questions. 

“Now, to thank the foxes that graciously gave us our chickens.”  I took Squalo’s jacket off and walked towards the balcony’s edge.  It’d be bad if everyone saw I wore a jacket belonging to the Vongola.  The spot light turned on the opposite side of where we were.  Each fox was introduced like usual.  One by one, they went around the room to introduce the foxes.  No one was entirely special.  It was my turn and I was the last one to be introduced.  “Now, to introduce our highest esteemed guest.  She’s a veteran fox of ten years and still continues to bless us with high ticket items.  She’s a woman of grace that can kill with a single glare.  Put your hands together for our miss!”  Everyone clapped for me.  Once the light went out, I sat back down. 

“You can take off your masks now.”  They did and just stared at me.  “What?” 

“Why didn’t they say your name?  They did with everyone else.”  Squalo asked. 

“They legally can’t.  Plus, when you’re a veteran, you don’t need to have your name broadcasted to everyone.” 

“You’re a pretty important person then.”  Dino casually commented. 

“If you knew the extent of my power, you’d be afraid to be casual with me.” 

The first couple of items that went up for sale were meats.  At first it seemed innocent enough, but this was the underground after all.  It was all meat from humans.  When that was done, they brought out carts of body parts.  They were selling like they were prized jewels.  Even the dead Tachibana member was sold.  However, the part that sold the most were, of course, men’s genitalia.  Squalo looked at me to see if I was bothered. 

“Shiori.”  He said.

“Yes?” 

“Is this normal?” 

“It’s very normal.”  They were being sold as if they were high ticket items.  Men and women were buying them.  I could tell the regulars who buy these because they had special cases with them. 

“I don’t feel so good.”  Dino commented to himself. 

“Next item is two men from the Tachibana organization.”  The man on stage announced.  The men were rolled out in cages.  They were tied up and gagged so they wouldn’t make a noise or try to escape.  They were also stripped of their clothes so buyers could see their bodies.  They were only sold off for two million.  We still didn’t even have enough money, but I expected that.  “Now, for one of our high ticket items.”  The room was filled with suspense and small chatter.  “We have a special gift today.”  The Tachibana leader was rolled out for everyone to see.  He was fighting against the restraints while screaming against the gag in his mouth.  “You might already recognize him, but for those who don’t, this man is the leader of the Tachibana family!”

Hands went up rapidly.  People were excited.  The bidding was almost silent, but in the end we got about two million off him.  A man walked into the booth we were in.  “Your signature, miss.”  He held open a book.  I signed my name to finalize the deal.  He bowed and stayed in the corner of the room knowing there was one more for me to sign.  A couple more items were sold. 

“For our last item, we have an opportunity like no other.”  They rolled out the man Chen tortured.  Like magic, most of his wounds were all healed.  The underground had damn good healers.  I stood up and walked to the balcony railing.  I leaned against it and watched with pleasure.  I raised my hand slightly, getting the mc’s attention.  The mc looked up at me.  “Do you have any special instructions, miss?”  The man captured looked at me with fear.  His fate was in my hands.  I spread my arms out.  Everyone waited for what I’d say. 

“For years, this establishment has given me nothing but wonderful service and gratitude.  I welcome everyone to enjoy their every desire on my donation.  Talk it amongst yourselves with who goes first.  Just remember, you cannibals are last.”  The entire room cheered.  The man screamed as some people were getting up from their seats.  “Tear him apart!  Use his body for pleasure!  Make him squeal like the pig he is!  The more he screams the better!”  I took a few deep breaths before the man in my booth came to me. 

“Thank you for your donation, miss.  We are always thankful for your kindness.” 

I sighed and turned to the three men.  “Our job here is done.  We have the money.”  They were silent and followed me out to the lobby where Chen was waiting. 

“I see what you did.  Smart move.  He good squealer.” 

“It’s only fair.”  We deposited our masks to the man who gave them to us before going outside.  I took a deep breath of the chill air.  It felt good.  “Anyone hungry?”  I asked as if nothing happened.  I could tell Dino was deeply disturbed about everything that happened.  I guess there were some innocent people in the mafia.  Though, I’m sure Dino has a dark side to him.  Everyone does. 

“I leave for now.  See you later, Shiori.” 

“Be safe, Chen.”  She went her own way. 

“Am I the only one going to eat?”  I asked the men. 

“I don’t have much of an appetite.”  Dino replied. 

“I’m good too.”  Squalo responded.  I looked at Timoteo. 

“I’ll eat.” 

“There’s a good food stand nearby.  I used to go there all the time.  They sell really good bento boxes.” 

“That sounds wonderful.”  Timoteo and I walked down the street towards a cart where a huge line of people were waiting.  “It smells delicious.”  He commented happily.  I let out a delighted sigh. 

“It’s just as I remembered.”  We waited in line.  Dino and Squalo were leaning up against a wall having a conversation.  The small voice in my head told me they were probably revolted by me. 

“Thank you, Shiori.”  I looked up at Timoteo. 

“I don’t know what I did to be thanked.” 

“You got our money back.  I wouldn’t have known what to do.” 

“You don’t think any less of me because of the auction?”  He shook his head. 

“I’ve been to these before in Italy.  Though, this one was more grotesque.  Squalo and Dino haven’t experienced this before.  I imagine their stomachs aren’t feeling too well.”  I looked at the two before putting my attention back to Timoteo. 

“What about what I did at the end?”  I asked in a small voice.

“I caught how your demeanor immediately changed after he started talking to you.  I won’t ask you anything now, but I do hope you’ll tell me one day.” 

“Thank you, Timoteo.” 

“You’re family to me, Shiori.  No matter what, I’ll always accept you for everything you are.  Xanxus would too.”  We moved up in line. 

“You think so?” 

“I know my son well.  If he didn’t care about you, he wouldn’t have sent that gift or even send his men to watch over you.”  I’m still a little salty Xanxus couldn’t see me, but I guess if he did come now, I’d have to tell him everything.  We got up to order. 

“What can I get you two?”  The one running the stand asked.

“Give me two of your specials, a number three, and a chicken skewer.” 

“I’ll take a number one.” 

“It’ll be right up.”  We stood to the side and waited for our order. 

Timoteo’s order came up quick.  “You can go back to Squalo and Dino.  I’ll wait here.” 

“Alright.” 

Once he left, I stopped pretending to be happy.  I looked at the three and then stared at the street in front of me.  Even when I was with them, I felt so alone.  It didn’t matter who I was with, the feeling was still there.  I guess that was one reason why I didn’t mind killing those men.  Will I feel the same when I go to Italy?  Will I be even more isolated than I feel? 

“Here’s your order, ma’am.  We put it in a bag for you.” 

“Thank you.”  I took the bag and walked over as if nothing was wrong.  “I’m ready to go.” 

“Good.  Let’s go back to the hotel.”  I shook my head. 

“I’m actually going to go home.” 

“Why?  Is something wrong?”  Squalo asked. 

“I just feel like it.  I want to sleep in my own bed.”  Timoteo could see right through to me. 

“Is that what you really want?”  He asked me. 

“Yeah.” 

“You should at least gather your things.”  At the hotel, I retrieved my things.  I had a couple more minutes until the last train left. 

“Will you be fine by yourself?”  Dino asked. 

“I’ll be fine.  This is my hometown.  I know this place like the back of my hand.” 

“Be safe.”  I nodded before leaving.  It didn’t feel right leaving them, but it didn’t feel right staying with them either.  Nothing felt right at the moment. 

On the train, I ate most of my food.  The insanity was close to overflowing.  I had no one to go to who would understand anything.  I couldn’t rely on Nikita.  My dad was unresponsive and even when he was awake, he had no way of helping me.  Kanade wouldn’t want to hear my troubles.  If I told a stranger, the police would be after me.  When I got off the train, I found myself in Osaka. 

“That’s strange.  I didn’t think I was on the train long.” 

I walked out the station and saw almost bare streets.  I walked down the street and found myself at a park.  This is where I used to play as a kid.  I’d always be alone.  It didn’t matter if it was my past, present, or future.  I’d always be alone.  I hated feeling this way.  I sat on one of the swings.  Many possible ‘what if’s’ situations came to mind.  If the Hibari tried to kill me, I wouldn’t hesitate to kill myself.  Though, if I did that, I’m sure everyone would be mad at me.  Even if I ended up killing the Hibari head, people would be mad at me.  I groaned.  It doesn’t matter the situation.  It’s always me against the world.  I got a phone call. 

“Hello?” 

“Where the hell are you?”  It was Nikita.  Her voice was a lot more harsh than usual.  Something must have happened.

“Osaka.” 

“Why did you leave Tokyo?  Those people are after you again.  They saw your little stunt and weren’t impressed.  You were safer with the Vongola.”

“You’re mad at me.”  I said, sensing multiple people behind me. 

“What do you think?  What were you even thinking?  You can’t just leave because of your emotions.  It’s idiotic.” 

“I’m aware of how stupid I am.”  I dropped my arm.  I didn’t want to listen to Nikita yell at me.  I didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with it.

“Are you listening?!” 

“No.” 

“Don’t let them catch up to you, Shiori.  My men are on the way to pick you up.” 

“That’s unnecessary.  They’re already here.”  I stood up and turned to face a large group of men.  I took out my gun and didn’t hesitate to fire.  Instead of it hitting anyone, the bullet grazed some of their cheeks.  Because of my flame, their heads exploded. 

“Shiori!”  Nikita yelled before I hung up.  I looked at the remainder of the men. 

“Will you fill the hole in my heart for now?”  Before any of them could even touch me, I had killed them all.  I hummed quietly.  “That didn’t work.”  My phone kept buzzing. 

“What now?”  I answered harshly. 

“Shiori?”  It was Lussuria. 

“Lussuria?  Why are you calling me?” 

“Squalo hasn’t been able to get a hold of you.  We’re all worried.  Are you safe?” 

“Why are you worried?  I’m fine.” 

“We heard people were after you.”  I clicked my tongue. 

“I can take care of myself.” 

Lussuria winced at how cold Shiori was.  The entire Varia felt it.  Even Squalo, Dino, and Nono who were on the phone with Levi felt it.  “What do we do?”  Squalo asked Xanxus. 

“Do whatever it takes to get her back.”  Xanxus replied.. 

“We’ve been trying!”  Nono didn’t like this situation.  He knew something was wrong with Shiori but he thought she wanted some space.  No one could track her phone either.  This was a difficult situation.  Xanxus walked out the room to get some fresh air.  He knew Shiori better than anyone.  Something must have triggered her to have one of her emotional episodes.  He decided to call her. 

“Why are you calling?”  She sounded even more pissed. 

“Don’t give me attitude because you’re having another episode.”  She scoffed. 

“What would you even know?” 

“Didn’t you call me the king of attitude?”  She didn’t answer.  “Where are you?” 

“Why do you want to know?”  Her voice softened. 

“I’m worried.” 

“Why?” 

“Because I am, idiot.” 

“Don’t call me an idiot.” 

“Stop acting like one and I’ll stop calling you one.”  She made a noise that was all too familiar with him.  It was the noise she made when she knew he was right. 

“I’m in Osaka.”  She responded quietly.

“Why the hell did you go there?” 

“I had a mental block.  I didn’t realize it until the train stopped.”  Xanxus sighed from frustration despite feeling relief knowing her location. 

“What’s wrong?”  He asked in a quiet voice. 

“There’s a lot wrong with me.” 

“I know that.  What’s wrong with you today?  What made you snap?” 

“I’m alone.”  Xanxus knew what she meant.  She wasn’t physically alone. 

“That’s it?” 

“That’s mostly it.” 

“What else is bothering you?”  She let out a small hum. 

“I did some horrible things.” 

“Are you worried about what the shark and the idiot horse thinks of you?” 

“Somewhat.” 

“Don’t focus on those flies.  Squalo shouldn’t be bothered by anything you do and Dino won’t be in your future enough for you to care.  Their feelings aren’t your priority.” 

“I know that, but I can’t help what I feel!” 

“Focus on me!  I’m your priority, idiot!”  Xanxus froze after he spoke.  He could tell Shiori was stunned.  “Go to your grandparents for now and go home tomorrow.  The old man will help you talk things out.” 

“Okay.”  He ended the call and walked back into the room.  Everyone was deadly quiet. 

“Boss…” 

“What?” 

“Did you mean that?”  Lussuria questioned. 

“You heard me?” 

“Everyone did.”  Levi said quietly.  Xanxus looked around the room and sat back down. 

“She’s in Osaka headed to her grandparents.  She’s going home tomorrow morning.” 

“Did you really mean that, Xanxus?”  Nono spoke seriously. 

“And if I did?  What are you going to do about it, old man?” 

“I’ll do nothing.”

Two arrows hit the same target.  Grandpa was standing on the porch with a smile.  “I’m surprised to see you here.  I wasn’t expecting you.”  He said with a smile.

“I wasn’t expecting to be here either.” 

“Mental block?” 

“Yeah.”  He picked up another two arrows. 

“That happens every once in a while.  Your dad was the same at your age.  I’m glad you’re here, safe and sound.”  Once he let go, the arrows danced around each other and hit the same target. 

“How did you do that?” 

“It’s an old trick.  I can do it with three arrows and even make them hit different targets.” 

“Can you teach me?”  He raised an eyebrow. 

“Since when did you get interested in archery?”  I stood up and took a bow for myself. 

“I needed to join a club for school.”  Grandpa chuckled and handed me an arrow.  I shot it and hit the target. 

“And your grandmother said you were nothing like me.”  He picked up two arrows.  “I’ll walk you through my technique and you can work out all the kinks by yourself.”  Grandpa took the next fifteen minutes to explain the technique for the two arrows.  “Well, I should get to bed.  I’m not getting younger after all.  Don’t stay up too late, alright?” 

“Good night, grandpa.”  Once he left, I picked up two arrows with uncertainty.  I aimed carefully and let go of the string.  The arrows just fell onto the ground.  “Huh?”  I tried again.  The arrows only hardly flew a foot before they fell.  “Geez.  I never knew grandpa was this skilled.” 

By the next day, I only got around four hours of sleep.  I’ve been up all night trying to do grandpa’s two arrow technique.  No matter what I did to adjust the position of my hands, they always came out the same.  Grandpa got a kick out of it and watched me while he had his morning tea.  “You’re doing it wrong, dear.” 

“I didn’t notice.”  He let out a hearty laugh and stood up.  He got behind me and fixed my position and how I held the string. 

“Let go.”  Once I did, the arrows almost hit the target but missed and went straight into the dirt.  “That’s strange.  It should have hit its target.”  Grandpa mused to himself. 

“Maybe I’m not cut out for it.”  He shook his head and took out two more arrows. 

“Let’s try another technique.”  Grandpa got behind me and twisted my wrist so the top of my hand would be pointed towards the sky.  The bow was held parallel to the ground.  He then put the arrows on like I’d usually do.  “Try this way.”  He stepped back and watched.  It was uncomfortable to hold the bow this way.  It was at least worth a try.  I pulled back the string and took a deep breath.  Once I let go, the arrows hit the target.  They even danced the same way as grandpa’s arrows.  The two of us looked at each other with shock. 

“Why did that work?!”  I questioned.

“Archery is like many things.  There are different ways to do some techniques.  My mother used the same technique you use.  I just happen to be like everyone else in my family.”  Grandpa explained with nostalgia.  He always loved to talk about his mom.  Grandma walked towards us from the kitchen. 

“Breakfast is ready.  Did you finally shoot two arrows, Shiori?” 

“I did!”  I took two more arrows and shot them the way grandpa showed me.  Once they hit, grandma clapped. 

“Wonderful!  Look, honey, she’s just like your mother.  I told you Shiori was more like her father.  Either way, let’s eat before the food gets cold.” 

After breakfast, grandpa gave me a book.  It was written by his great grandfather with all our family techniques.  Before I could leave, grandma gave me a new kimono to wear.  Like always, her kimono styles were always unique.  The front of the kimono was short but was longer and flowed in the back.  The obi was gold while the kimono was black.  My grandfather’s family crest was all over as design in silver and red.  They looked like leaves from afar.  I wore black thigh-high tights to cover up my legs.  The top of the kimono was like a normal kimono.  However, it draped around my shoulders.  So, I wore a black sleeveless turtleneck underneath.  Grandma had closets full of kimonos for me with various sizes.  She was excited she got a granddaughter and loved to dress me up.

“Shiori.”  I looked back at my grandparents at the train station. 

“Yes?” 

“We saw your father the other day.  He isn’t doing too well.” 

“I’m aware.” 

“There’s no need to be strong all the time.  We’re still here for you.”  I gave them a smile. 

“Thank you, but you know me.” 

“We know.  You’re stubborn to the bone like your father.  Have a safe trip back.”    

 


	25. Chapter 25

When I got back to Namimori, people were staring at me because of the kimono.  It was strange to get this kind of attention.  It wasn’t just the staring either.  They were also gossiping about me.  It’ll be one more thing the Hibari head will hear about.  I knew Dino was at my place from all the men outside my house. 

“Welcome home, Shiori.”  Romario greeted me. 

“I’m sorry for worrying everyone.” 

“That’s alright.  Everyone is inside.”  I bowed and walked in my house.  I froze when I saw Nikita.  There were three cigar ends in the ash tray and one in her hand.  I was in trouble.  They all looked at me. 

“You’re back!”  Dino said happily. 

“Nikita?”  I questioned.

“You have no idea how much I want to slap you.”  She said in a growl. 

“I’m aware.  You don’t smoke that much unless you’re extremely irritated.”  She waved her finger, beckoning me to come closer.  I had no choice but to follow her command.  Those who run will be given a worse punishment.  I got on my knees in front of her. 

“Shiori.” 

“Yes, ma’am?”  She flicked my forehead. 

“Do you understand the mess you gave my men?!  I taught you better!”  She belted out.

“I’m sorry!  There were too many!” 

“It doesn’t matter!  If you kill them, you clean up your mess.  I take care of the legal side and you take care of the physical.” 

“Xanxus told me to leave before I could clean up!”  She grunted.  I shivered and felt danger run off her. 

“And why did you listen to that man?” 

“He has my best interest in mind.  He told me to go to my grandparents.”  She raised an eyebrow, clearly testing me.  I stood up and sat in the chair across the table.  Dino, Squalo, and Timoteo were silent, watching what was happening. 

“Are you sure he has your best interest in mind?  He could be using you.”  I scoffed. 

“I’m sure of that.  No one would dare use me.” 

“Did I ever teach you to follow any man?” 

“You didn’t, but it was my decision to follow him.”  The grip on her cigar tightened. 

“Have you ever thought about how Xanxus could be using you to get an heir?”  Squalo looked pissed off but was silent because of Nikita’s presence. 

“If that’s true, he isn’t doing a good job at grooming me.” 

“I see you’re not as dumb as I thought.”  I didn’t reply.  Instead, I just stared at Nikita with my right leg crossed over the left.  I held my head in my hand, bored out of my mind.  Dino and Squalo were looking back and forth between me and Nikita.  “He makes you feel safe, doesn’t he?”  She spoke softly, staring at the smoke from her cigar. 

“I feel safer with Xanxus than I ever did with Kanade.” 

“Does the screaming go away?”  I nodded.  “All of them?  Even your own?” 

“All of them.” 

“And your scars?” 

“They don’t ache.” 

“And if he loses your trust?”  Everyone’s attention was on me.  What if Xanxus does something where I can’t trust him?  I know I’d lose control, but I wouldn’t know what to do with myself afterwards.  “Do you think he’ll never lose your trust?”  She asked me. 

“If that ever happens and he loses my trust, I’ll come back to you and take my place by your side.”  It’d be the best for me.  I wouldn’t have to worry about trusting new people.

“You’ll become my replacement?” 

“I’m your daughter, right?  It’s only right the family goes to family.  If I’m in the Vongola, I can’t do that.  I know how you want the family to be a lone wolf.”  She burned out her cigar. 

“That’s right.  The family needs help from no one.”  Nikita stood up, signaling me to stand.  “I see you’re serious about the Vongola and that man.  You’ve never been this serious about anything.”  She put her hand on top of my head.  I looked up at her.  “Kanade was the only person in the world that brought you out of the dark.  When she died, you refused to even live.  You were an empty corpse, moving for the sake of normalcy.  You’ve changed drastically since Xanxus entered your life.” 

“Have I?” 

“You have and I’m proud.  It hurt everyone to see you like that.  Once you get over the Tokyo incident, you’ll become a woman that will rival me and will strike fear in everyone’s hearts.  No one will dare cross you.” 

“You’re too excited about that, Nikita.  What are you going to do?”  She chuckled happily.  I knew that sound very well.  She was either up to something or planning something. 

“You’ll see.”  My eye twitched.  I knew exactly what this monster was going to do. 

“You’re going to start rumors, aren’t you?”  I accused her.

“Why would I do that?”  

“You’ve done it before.” 

“You were there for that?  I haven’t started rumors in years.” 

“You treated me like an accessory when I was a kid.  Wherever you were, I was there by your side.”  She hummed and looked away from me. 

“I remember now.  You were so small and light, I basically threw you over my shoulder.”  I let out a grunt. 

“Basically?  You did throw me over your shoulder!”  She laughed loudly before taking a few steps back. 

“See?  The you a year ago wouldn’t have outbursts.  Hell, the you a few months ago wouldn’t have acted like that.  You’d just sulk and apologize for everything.” 

“I guess you’re right about that.” 

“I’m right about many things.  Well, I need to go.  I did my job as your mother and yelled at you.  I have a business to run.”  She walked to the door and opened the door.  “You passed.”  She left without another word.  I passed?  This was all a test? 

“Shiori?”  Dino questioned.

“T-that woman…” 

“What’s wrong?”  Squalo asked. 

“That was all a test?!  What the hell?!” 

“You’re pissed?  I’m pissed she accused boss of grooming you to be an egg donner!”  Squalo stood up and yelled.  He was just as infuriated as me. 

“It took me everything I had not to yell at her for that!  Like Xanxus could even groom me!” 

“He’s shit at anything romantic!  He can’t even show gratitude towards us and we’re his men!”  Squalo and I were going at it, bickering back and forth about Xanxus and his incapability of grooming me and other subjects like that.  Dino and Timoteo both watched.  The two of us stopped and panted heavily. 

“I feel better.”  I collapsed on my seat. 

“That’s weird.  All of my stress is gone.”  Squalo sat back down. 

“Looks like you two got out all your frustrations.”  Timoteo said with a chuckle. 

“I’m tired from that yelling.  How do you constantly yell all the time, Squalo?” 

“I live with idiots.  You’ll see.  You’ll experience what I do.”  I made a noise of sarcastic fanfare. 

“You can always come see me if everything gets too hectic.”  Dino suggested. 

“She stays with us.” 

“She’ll just be there for a visit.  I won’t get between Shiori and Xanxus.  He gets scarier once she’s involved.”  I looked at Dino with a mischievous smile. 

“Don’t piss me off, Dino.  I might go visit you.”  He paled and let out a high pitched scream like Tsuna. 

“Don’t joke about that!” 

When all the commotion was over and everyone fed, Timoteo sat down with Shiori in her room to talk.  Xanxus already told him to be careful with his words.  Even though Timoteo knew, Xanxus still had to reiterate how important it was. 

“Is Xanxus having you scold me in his place?” 

“You can say that.”  She let out a small, irritated sigh. 

“I know I shouldn’t have gone on my own.  In my defense, I didn’t know I was being targeted.” 

“I’m not going to scold you.” 

“You’re not?  You know Xanxus will throw a fit when he hears, right?”  Timoteo chuckled. 

Shiori knew his son more than most did.  They understood each other on a whole different level.  Most people wouldn’t be able to even harmonize to this level.  Their flames melted together unlike any harmonization.  One flame can be used to calm the other flame and yet it could make it stronger.  It’s why Xanxus gave Shiori his other feather.  He embedded his flame into the feather to calm Shiori. 

“I’m aware, but he’ll live.  I just wanted to ask you a few questions.” 

“Okay.” 

“Are you serious about joining the Vongola?” 

“I am.” 

“You’re leaving behind Nikita’s family.  They practically raised you.” 

“I’m aware.  Even though I have a place with Nikita, I feel wanted with Xanxus and the rest.  They’re overbearing in a good way, but they do listen to me.  I’m sure Xanxus makes them listen though.”  Shiori’s voice was soft and sincere. 

“You really fit the definition of a cloud.”  Timoteo said with pride.

“Mammon said that when he was looking through my mind.  That’s the flame I have.  He even explained the other flames.” 

“A cloud that cannot be bound protects the family from an independent standpoint.  Though, your flame is special.”  Shiori tilted her head. 

“How so?” 

“Your flame destroys everything as if it was a bomb.  It’s similar to the flame of wrath which is a type of sky flame.  It’s a mixture of sky and storm.  Xanxus has that flame.  Your flame is a mixture of cloud and storm.  I’ve never seen anything like it before.” 

“Is that a bad thing?”  Timoteo shook his head.  “Nikita told me to not use my flame because I’d go crazy.” 

“You just needed some practice.  You seem to have a grip of it now.”  She let out a lifeless laugh. 

“I still get very exhausted when I use it.  Though, I can apply it to bullets.  I killed the ones after me like that.” 

“You can do advance techniques like that?” 

“Is it advanced?” 

“It is.”  Timoteo knew Shiori was a genius, but he didn’t know she’d be a natural at using her flame.  “When did you first discover your flame?” 

“During the Tokyo incident.  All of my pent up anger exploded and so did everyone in the room.” 

“That’s interesting.  It would seem your special cloud flame unlocked itself which resulted in your dominant cloud flame and recessive storm flame to merge together.”  Timoteo was even more fascinated with Shiori’s flame.  Even his guardians wanted to see it in action again. 

“Do I have anything to worry about?” 

“There is one thing you need to be careful of.  With how dangerous your flame is, there’s a chance of you killing yourself.”  She didn’t seem surprised.  It was as if she knew her flame had that potential.  “Did you know?” 

“I had a feeling that’d be it.  That was Mammon’s theory.  He said if I’m properly trained to use my flame, my body will learn to accept it easier.” 

“That’s right.  I’ll find you a tutor who can help you.”  She looked surprised. 

“You don’t need to do that for me.” 

“Nonsense!  You’re family and I’ll treat you as such.”  Plus, Shiori has done more than anyone else could have.  She was able to tame Xanxus.  He acts like a normal person when she’s around or even mentioned.  Though, he gets angrier than usual when she’s in trouble and he isn’t there to help.  “By the way, Shiori, were you hiding your abilities from us?” 

“Of course.  Nikita trained me after all.” 

Shiori was extremely proud of her upbringing.  She grew up around assassins and always felt out of place anywhere else.  None of Nikita’s men knew how to use flames which made Shiori feel like something was missing in her life.  It’s no wonder she fits right in with the Varia.  She was meant for them.  She was meant to be Xanxus’ cloud guardian.  If Timoteo brought up having Shiori be Xanxus’ guardian, he’d have a tantrum and immediately refuse.  He’d never put Shiori in danger even though she can take care of herself. 

The next day, Squalo and Nono left.  Dino stayed to check up on Tsuna and to keep an eye on Shiori.  “Squalo.”  He turned to Nono.  They were on the plane back to Italy. 

“What?” 

“How does Shiori fit with the Varia?” 

“She’s one of us and keeps Xanxus’ anger in check.” 

“What would you think if she became the Varia’s cloud guardian?”  Squalo almost choked on his spit. 

“You know Xanxus would never accept that.” 

“I have a feeling that after Shiori tells Xanxus everything, he’ll change his mind.” 

“Why?” 

“She’s Nikita’s daughter and was trained by men and women tougher than most of the Vongola.  Shiori is a trained assassin who’s also a natural flame user.”  Squalo knew Shiori was strong, but he didn’t want to accept the reality.  He wanted to think of Shiori as a regular girl, but even he knew Shiori had another side.  “She has a cloud flame that merged with storm, Squalo.  If used correctly, she’ll be able to rival the top assassins in the world.” 

“Mammon told me.” 

“We’re lucky to have Shiori, Squalo.  She’d be Nikita’s right hand woman otherwise.  Nikita wouldn’t hesitate to send Shiori to kill and she wouldn’t hesitate.”  Squalo stayed silent.  “You should get her room started.”  Nono said seriously. 

“Is it her father?” 

“It is.  Dino told me of his condition.  Shamal says it’s only a matter of time.  It’s as if he’s staying alive for Shiori’s sake.  If she were to tell him to go, he’d go.” 

“I’ll tell Lussuria.”

School started a week later.  That meant dealing with people I didn’t want to.  I wanted to test out, but that wouldn’t be good for my game.  Gokudera ran up to me as cheerful as can be.  It annoyed me.  “Good morning, Shiori!” 

“Good morning.” 

“How was your summer?  Did you see Kanade?”  I smiled with a small blush. 

“I saw her for most of the summer.  How was your summer?”  I asked.  We were walking to school. 

“Well, Jyuudaime and I had loans to pay.” 

“Huh?” 

“We blew up a pool.” 

“That isn’t normal, Gokudera.  No one just blows up a pool.”  He still smiled.  It bothered me how happy he was about that.  We met up with Tsuna. 

“Good morning, Jyuudaime!” 

“Good morning, Tsuna.” 

“Shiori?!”  Tsuna freaked out to see me. 

“Woah.  Everyone is here this morning.  Shiori, you’re here too!”  Yamamoto walked up to us.  Gokudera was obviously annoyed.  It wasn’t like I wanted to be here. 

“Gokudera followed me and we ended up here.”  I replied.  The two looked at Gokudera. 

“Are you still trying to date her?”  A baby’s voice asked.  I saw a baby in a suit.  This was the same one that was with Tsuna at the start of the year. 

“I’m not, Reborn!” 

“I don’t believe we met before.  I’m Reborn, Tsuna’s tutor.”  Tutor? 

“You must be a fellow genius as well.  It’s nice to meet you, Reborn.  I’m Shiori.”  I bowed deeply. 

“Likewise.” 

“Well, I’ll meet you guys at school.  I’d rather not be late.  It was nice meeting you Reborn.” 

That baby was just like Mammon.  Danger reeked off him.  Was he part of the Vongola too?  I let out a short hum.  That’d mean Tsuna, Gokudera, and Yamamoto are involved too.  I slowly paled.  If they figure out I was lying about my relationship, Gokudera will be all over me again.  This is why I’m glad to have Xanxus and Squalo.  They’ll put everyone in line.  When I entered the school’s gate, I saw Kyoya standing in the yard.  He was watching everyone come in to catch late students. 

“Good morning, Hibari.”  He made a noise of acknowledgement. 

We haven’t run into each other for a while.  I wonder when we’ll have another time when I’ll scare him.  It was fun to do that to people.  School was pretty much the same.  It was for the next two weeks.  The only difference was me ending up walking to school every day with Gokudera and his friends.  It was painful for me to be around them.  All they did was talk and drain my energy.  I could hardly make it throughout the day without a nap.  How could they be this tiring?  It was probably my flame that made me exhausted all the time.  Still, they were so noisy.  Even Squalo’s screeching didn’t make me this tired. 

The next day, I went to school like usual.  In class, I read the book grandpa gave me.  It was interesting since there were accounts of the old days and how their days were.  “Shiori Mori, report to the main office.”  Everyone looked at me.  I closed my book and left.  I wonder what it could be.  Shamal would send me a message if dad passed or if anything was wrong.  At the main office, I saw Nikita’s cousin Adrian.  He wasn’t known in the mafia world at all.  Only those who were close to Nikita knew him. 

“Shiori.”  He stood up and looked down at me with mournful eyes. 

“What’s wrong?”  He was hesitating to answer.  Did something happen to Nikita?  “Just tell me, Adrian.” 

“Yuko died.”  Those were two words I thought would never go together. 

“Yuko?” 

“I’m sorry, Shiori.” 

“When?” 

“She was killed a few hours ago.  I came as soon as my sister told me.”  Why am I surprised someone killed her?  I knew her life was always on the line, but for it to actually happen was mind boggling.  She was the strongest person I knew.  The secretaries in the office kept their heads down low.  “Go get your things.”  I nodded and left the office.  Yuko is dead.  The thought sounded foreign.  She wasn’t supposed to die.  She’s invincible.

‘It’s decided.  I’ll be your guardian angel whether you want it or not.  I’ll stalk you until one of us dies.’  That’s how she introduced herself to me.  I always knew she was strange, but she had good intentions.  According to her, she was my big sister.  ‘See this?  It’s my most treasured item.  Sure, it’s a gun, but it was from Sis.  I’ll teach you how to use one.  You’ll be as good as me when I’m done with you.’  She was the one that taught me how to handle any and every gun. 

I stopped in the hallway and looked out the window.  I could see my faint reflection.  My eyes were red.  This wasn’t a dream.  I wished it was, but the pain was too real.  “She’s dead.”  I said to myself.  The words felt like a foreign language to my tongue.  It felt wrong.

“Shiori…”  I looked and saw Gokudera.  Seeing his shocked expression, I could tell he heard what I said.

“What do you want?”  I asked.

“Are you alright?” 

“Do I look alright?” 

“No.”  I rubbed my eyes and slapped my cheeks.  “What are you doing?” 

“Making it so I don’t look like I’m tearing up.”  He looked perplexed. 

“You don’t have to be strong.” 

“I’m not forcing myself to be strong, Gokudera.  I’m holding it in until I get in the car to go.” 

“I’m sorry for your lost.”  I started walking by him. 

“I lost someone I considered my older sister.  That woman was always there for me even when I didn’t want her around.  I was her everything.  She’d turn her back against the world if it meant protecting me.  Someone killed her in cold blood.  They stole my sister away from me.”  I stopped myself before I ended up crying.  I walked into the classroom and packed my things up.  Everyone saw me and immediately looked away.  When I went to the main office, Adrian led me to the car. 

“Will you be alright?”  He asked.

“How was she killed?” 

“She was gunned down by an enemy.  They had at least eighty men.  She took out half until she was killed.”  I took out my phone.  I immediately dialed. 

“Shiori?” 

“Xanxus.” 

“What’s wrong?  Are you hurt?” 

“Yuko…Yuko died.”

Gokudera stayed where he was for a minute.  He’d never seen someone look that empty before.  It made him think of Bianchi.  He didn’t like her for her cooking, but he’d feel the same if she died.  He took his phone out and sent a message to her.  He wouldn’t want to have any regrets if someone were to kill his sister.  The bell for lunch rang.  Tsuna and Yamamoto went out to find him. 

“Gokudera?”  He looked at Tsuna and Yamamoto.  

“What is it?” 

“Are you alright?” 

“I’m fine.  Do you guys want to get lunch?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Hey, did you see Shiori by any chance?”  Yamamoto questioned. 

“Why?” 

“She looked like she was crying.  I wonder if something bad happened.”  Gokudera looked away.  He shouldn’t tell them since it wasn’t their business. 

“Gokudera.”  Reborn spoke seriously.  “What happened with Shiori?” 

“Let’s go.”  Gokudera said, leaving the hall and towards an empty classroom.  Once they were all in, the door shut. 

“Well?” 

“Shiori’s sister was killed.”  Tsuna’s and Yamamoto’s eyes widened. 

“Her sister?” 

“They’re not related by blood, but they considered each other sisters.” 

“No wonder Shiori looked rough.” 

“She was killed…”  Yamamoto said to himself. 

“She was murdered in cold blood.”  Reborn’s fedora was tipped down.  Shiori’s life is falling apart.  First, she had her family broken apart.  Then, her father was put in a coma where he’ll die any day.  Now, this.  That girl had the worst luck in the world. 

“Tsuna.”  Reborn said seriously.

“What?” 

“We should have Shiori join the family.” 

“What?!” 

“She has no one, Tsuna.  She’s alone in the world.  Her sister was killed and her dad is due to die in mere days.” 

“I don’t want her involved.”  Reborn shook his head. 

“Mafia isn’t always about recruiting the strongest people.  It isn’t all fighting.  It’s about helping those who have nowhere to go.  Shiori is a genius.  You can stick her in a research position in a branch far away from any violence.” 

“I can do that?”  Reborn smiled at how relaxed his student became. 

“Of course.  We can even make it look like a job opportunity so there isn’t any suspicion.” 

“Wouldn’t she figure it out?  She’s smart.” 

“She wouldn’t know she was part of the mafia.  The Vongola research branch deals with regular research like other facilities.  It’s just the family’s private institute.”  Tsuna looked at his friends.  They all silently agreed with each other.  “I already know your answer, Tsuna.  I’ll have everything set up when she graduates.” 


	26. Chapter 26

It was completely quiet in the Varia mansion.  Xanxus was fiddling with the photo Yuko gave him with a cup of whiskey on his desk.  He never heard Shiori sound like that.  It broke him, made him completely numb.  He couldn’t be there to help her.  Xanxus’ guardians all walked into the office when Shiori was quietly sobbing on the phone.  They were all sitting in the office just as quiet.  They knew they couldn’t be there either.  The ring battles were coming up and they had to prepare.  Lussuria even had good news about having the design of Shiori’s jacket done, but it wasn’t brought up.  Squalo messaged Dino, but he was unfortunately in Italy.  No one from the Vongola was there for Shiori.  It would be seen as disrespectful, but they had no choice.  They wouldn’t get there in time. 

“What’s in your hand, Lussuria?”  Bel asked trying to ease the mood.  For being assassins, they weren’t the best in these situations.  It was mostly because the person that was hurting was Shiori and that hurt them. 

“This?  It’s Shiori’s jacket design.”  Lussuria perked up.

“You got it done that quickly?”  Bel replied. 

“You know how I am when I get excited.”  He handed the paper to Bel.  Mammon looked over Bel’s shoulder.  There were two jacket designs.  One was similar to the ones they all had on.  The other one had skinnier arms and had a cape attached to the shoulders. 

“I get the first one, but why a second one?” 

“You didn’t see the photos of Shiori wearing Squalo’s jacket when she helped Nono get money back?” 

“There were pictures?”  Everyone, including Squalo, asked. 

Lussuria had a hard copy of the picture that he kept on hand when designing the jacket.  One by one, they all took their time looking at the photo.  It was Shiori, but she looked much different than what they remembered.  She looked sweet yet this photo turned their image of her upside down.  “She looks scary.”  Levi mentioned. 

“You should have seen what she did after.”  Squalo mentioned with a big smile.  The mood was starting to lighten up.

“You didn’t tell us anything about what happened.” 

“Shiori cornered the Tachibana boss like it was nothing.  That bastard was using our money to buy human meat at an auction.  So, Shiori gave him the option of giving her three of his men, including his right hand man, or turn himself in to the auction.  They all turned their guns on her and she ordered them to put them down.” 

“What’s this auction?  What happened next?”  Lussuria asked on the edge of his seat. 

“It was magical.  She demanded them to put their guns down in the clearest voice I’ve ever heard.  Nikita’s sniper killed one of the men right after Shiori spoke.  I’ve never seen something unplanned be in sync like that.  After she took the three men, she knocked out the Tachibana boss and had him join the auction.” 

“She broke her word.”  Levi said. 

“She can tell how much someone would sell for.  Without the Tachibana boss, we wouldn’t have gotten our money.” 

“And Nono let her do this?”  Mammon questioned. 

“He trusted her and would be behind anything she did.” 

“If that was us, he’d scold us.”  Levi said, thinking back to the many times he’s been scolded by Nono. 

“It all goes back to Nikita.” 

The car stopped at a building in the middle of nowhere.  There were cars lined up.  Men and women in black were walking into the building.  “Nikita is waiting.”  Adrian said softly.  I got out of the car and noticed how dark the sky was getting.  I forgot we were supposed to get rain the next few days.  I walked inside and saw all of Nikita’s men.  To my surprise, Chen was there.  Nikita walked over to me from the corner she was standing in.  We stood in silence.  We both felt pain.  Nikita knew Yuko since she was a kid and I’ve known Yuko for most of my life.  The three of us were a family of sorts. 

“Let’s go.” 

She led me to the backyard.  It was full of graves.  If we’re going by the rules of Nikita’s family, today should be a happy day.  The men and women in Nikita’s family were people who missed their chance to die.  We were all on the verge of death at some point in our lives.  Yuko was a street rat that had a bounty on her head by the age of eight in China.  She stole and killed people to survive.                When the police found her, they left her for dead after beating her severely.  She stayed in a random alley with her broken body until Nikita stumbled upon her.  Nikita’s right hand walked over to us with a box in his hand. 

“Thank you.”  I looked at the wooden box.  It was Yuko.  I wanted to look away, but Yuko told me when she died, not to.  She wanted me to look at her dead corpse and face the pain full on.  She’d do it for me.  It was the least I could do.

Everyone got out of Nikita’s way as she walked up towards the front.  There was a hole in the ground.  I noticed a small baby in the front.  It was peculiar.  The sound of thunder brought my attention to the sky.  The clouds were getting darker.  I looked back at the front.  Nikita put a flag over the box.  It was a flag that had the family crest on it.  Yuko loved the family more than anything.  She would give her life in an instant to protect us.  Nikita placed Yuko in the ground and soon, she was covered by the earth.  Everyone hung their head low.  No one spoke a single word.  Yuko wasn’t a religious person and would always make fun of those who believed in a higher being.  She wouldn’t want a priest here.  One by one, people started to leave.  They still had missions to complete.  I walked towards the grave as it started to rain.  Nikita gave me an umbrella. 

“I’ll be inside.” 

“Thank you.”  I opened the umbrella and crouched down in front of Yuko’s grave.  I put the umbrella over the grave.  “I bet you’d be beyond mad knowing it’s raining at your funeral.  You always hated everything cliché.  You were even confident no one would cry for you too.  I’m sorry I cried.  I’d like to think you’d cry for me, but that doesn’t seem like you.”  I wanted to cry, but there were no tears to let out.  I already cried on the three hour drive here.  My eyes still burned.  “Can you do me a favor, Yuko?  It’s my last request.  It might be the first request where I don’t tell you to stay away.  Dad is going to die soon.  His body is getting weaker with each passing day.  I know you don’t believe in anything, but if there is, can you watch him when he passes for me?”

Nikita stared at Shiori through the window of the second story office.  She was taking this harder than everyone else.  The entire family was used to seeing their loved ones and friends killed.  It was just another loss for them.  Nikita still felt pain, but it was nothing compared to what Shiori felt. 

“Is that Yuko’s replacement?”  A voice asked.  Nikita looked down beside her and saw Fon. 

“No.” 

“Who is she then?” 

“You might have heard Yuko go on and on about her.  That’s Shiori.  She’s my daughter and Yuko’s most precious person.” 

“That’s who Yuko always talked about?” 

“I’m surprised you even came to Yuko’s funeral.  She was only an orphan that you took pity on.”  Nikita turned her attention back to Shiori. 

“I only fed her.  My master would have scolded me if I didn’t help the poor.” 

“Yet you got attached to her.” 

“It’s Yuko’s charm.  She always visited the temple I live in every now and then.  She came shortly before she died.”  Fon put his attention on Shiori.  She was holding the umbrella over Yuko’s grave.  “Shiori doesn’t seem like someone that’d be part of your family.”  Nikita scoffed at Fon’s comment.  “Am I wrong?”  He asked. 

“You are.  Shiori is like me in every way.  She’ll be the only one to ever rival me.  After all, I taught her what I know.” 

“How strong is she physically?” 

“She’s extremely strong.  However, her strength is her biggest downfall.” 

“Why is that?” 

“Her flame is killing her.” 

Fon’s eyes widened.  This was the first he’s ever heard of an active flame user being in Nikita’s family.  Even Yuko didn’t have an active flame.  “What flame does she have?” 

“I don’t know.  I’m not that knowledgeable in flames myself.  It’s because of her flame she became attached to a certain man with red eyes in the Vongola family.”  Fon knew who Nikita was talking about. 

“Xanxus?” 

“That’s right.  She’s officially part of the Vongola family.  Timoteo already accepted her as one of his own.” 

“Why did you let her go?  You don’t like it when your men are taken away from you.”  Nikita took blew out smoke from her cigar. 

“Xanxus did something I could never do or give her.” 

“What did he do?” 

“He’s able to calm down her down when she loses control.  We’ve only had to lock her up and let her blow off steam or shoot her with special bullets filled with sleeping agents.  Now, it’d be impossible for us to fully control her.  The best we could do is subdue her movements.” 

“Has he hurt her?”  Fon was expecting the answer to be ‘yes’.  Xanxus is not a kind person and wouldn’t do anything unless it benefited me. 

“No.”  Fon let out a gasp and looked up at Nikita.  From her expression, he knew she wasn’t lying. 

“Are you sure?” 

“I’m sure.  Timoteo said they have a good relationship.  Their flames can calm each other down just by being in the same room.  Apparently, he hasn’t thrown a tantrum in a while.”  Fon couldn’t believe it.  Xanxus wasn’t a kind man.  What did Shiori have Xanxus wanted?  “Fon.” 

“Yes?” 

“Yuko told me you know flames very well.” 

“That’s correct.” 

“Can you help Shiori for me?  Don’t worry about price either.  I’ll pay anything.” 

“What do you want me to help Shiori with?”  Fon questioned, jumping on the desk behind them. 

“I want you to save her from her flame.  If she uses it at full capacity, there’s a big possibility of it killing her.  Timoteo told me Shiori’s flame is too powerful for her body to handle.  It backfires on her body.” 

“There’s no need to pay me.  Yuko came to life because of Shiori.  It’s the least I can do.” 

“Thank you, Fon.  I guess you got a little more than attached to Yuko.”  Nikita saw Shiori get up without the umbrella and walk inside.  Nikita sat down and took out a box.  Both of them were waiting for Shiori.  When she came into the room, Shiori looked at Fon and then Nikita. 

“You wanted to see me after?” 

“I did.  Take a seat.”  Fon noted Shiori’s soft voice.  It was melodic and made him take an immediately liking to her.  When she sat down, Fon could feel how out of sync her flame was.  It was chaotic.  “This box is for you.” 

“What is it?”  Nikita pushed it in Shiori’s direction.  Shiori opened it and bit her lip.  Fon looked in the box.  It was Yuko’s guns. 

“Why are you giving me these?”  I questioned.  I could feel my eyes start to burn. 

“It was in Yuko’s will.”  I took one of the guns in my hands and started to take it apart.  There was something caught in one of the mechanics.  The sadness was almost completely replaced by irritation.  I put the gun back together and then did the same with the other one.  Nikita smiled. 

“What’s wrong?”  She asked, already knowing what happened.  I looked up with tears in my eyes. 

“That idiot was always too lazy when taking care of her equipment.  She probably gave them to me so I could fix them.” 

“She always did that, didn’t she?” 

“I’m tempted to shoot her grave with these.  Even in death that woman always irritates me some way or another.” 

“You’re crying.”  Nikita pointed out. 

“I can’t help it, dammit!  She knew everything I went through.  She was the one who taught me how to walk again after they broke my legs.  If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t even know how to use these.”  I put the gun back and closed the box. 

“I know.  Yuko saw herself in you.  I do as well.  The three of us were discarded by the world and left to die.  The past still haunts us.  For us, we have a constant reminder every time we look in the mirror.” 

“I despise it.”  I spat angrily.  I hated the scars I had.  I hated the memories that came when I saw them. 

“My scars represent how ugly politics and war is.  Your scars show how ugly humanity can be.” 

“I know.”  I replied softly, knowing Nikita was right. 

“Yuko also gave you access to her arsenal if needed.  You and I are the only ones who have access.” 

“I don’t have any need for it.  I have everything I need in front of me.”  Nikita smiled. 

“You don’t have to take anything.  It’s just there in case.  For instance, when you move in with that man, you might find that their weapons aren’t up to your standards.”  I groaned and held my head in my hands. 

“I’ll notify Xanxus beforehand.” 

“He might even let you buy whatever weapons you want.”  I thought about the lingerie.  That was mostly from Lussuria, but it was still with Xanxus’ money.  I wonder what he’d do when he finds out.  Who am I kidding?  He probably already knows from Lussuria’s big mouth.  “The scar on your shoulder is starting to show, Shiori.  What’s wrong?” 

“I’m stressed from those idiots and I’m not even living with them yet.” 

“You’ll be in for a big shock.” 

“Probably.  Though, they do seem to be quieter around me.  Hopefully, that’ll stay the same.” 

“You can always put them in place.”  I smiled and nodded. 

“I’ve already put Squalo in place when he was yelling all day.” 

“Good.”  I looked at the baby on the table.  He reminded me of Mammon and Reborn.  “How’s your flame control?”  Nikita asked me. 

“It’s okay I guess.  I still get tired when I use it.  My body will ache if I use too much.  I thought you didn’t know anything about flames.”  She looked at the baby. 

“I don’t, but he does.  This is Fon.  He used to take care of Yuko when she was a kid before I found her.”  I bowed in the chair. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Fon.” 

“Yuko always talked fondly about.” 

“I’m sure she told you things I wouldn’t want her to say.”  Fon chuckled with his hand covering his mouth. 

“She did.”  I sighed. 

“Yuko always had that bad habit of talking too much.” 

“She’s been like that since she met you.”  Fon said happily.

“I’m sure.  She was my personal stalker for months.  If it wasn’t for Nikita, she’d still be stalking me and not taking missions.  At least she can stalk me as much as she wants now.” 

“Can you show me your flame?”  Fon asked unexpectedly.  I looked at my finger and focused until a purple flame showed.  “I see you have the cloud flame.” 

“Mammon already explained everything about flames to me.  Timoteo also mentioned how I have the storm flame too, but it merged with my cloud flame.”  Fon looked from the flame to my face. 

“How is that possible?” 

“That could have been the big explosion that happened in Tokyo.”  Nikita suggested. 

“That was it.  I was on, what I thought were, my final breaths.  The pressure in my head kept increasing and then boom.  It was like a bomb went off.” 

“Can you show me what you can do with your flame?”  Fon asked with an urgent tone in his voice. 

“Sure, but we’d have to go outside.  Nikita wouldn’t like if I made holes in the wall.”  She grunted in response. 

“Let’s go.”  Fon and I walked outside in the front.  I walked in front of a tree.  “How do you usually use your flame?”  He asked. 

“Well, I usually put it on something like a blade.  I can apply my flame to bullets which I guess is an advanced technique.” 

“Use a gun.”  I took out my gun.  I was starting to keep it on me at all times.  The chances of being attacked were still high.  I fired a normal bullet just to see the damage of the bullet.  Then, I used my flame.  The bullet impacted itself into the tree and then exploded.  It made the top of the tree collapse.  I looked at Fon who was staring in awe.  He then handed me a twig.  “Use this.”  I shrugged and threw the twig at the already broken tree.  Once the twig hit, part of the stump was blown up.  “That is amazing.  No wonder your body can’t handle it.”  I let out a yawn.  “And you’re tired after that?” 

“I can go longer, but after the day I’ve had, I’m past exhaustion.” 

“Shiori.” 

“Yes?”  I looked down at Fon. 

“Let me teach you how to use your flame.” 

“You’ll do that?”  He nodded. 

“I’ve never seen a flame with your properties before.  I’m not sure if I can help you completely, but it will still help your body deal with your flame.” 

“What will you get out of it?  Is Nikita paying you, or do you want me to pay?”  He shook his head. 

“I don’t want any payment.  Seeing what your flame can do is enough for me.” 

“If you say so.  I guess I’m in your hands now, Fon.” 

I went home the next day with Fon and Yuko’s guns.  Fon was going to move in with me until my flame was under control.  It wasn’t a big deal since I was alone.  Fon had me meditating in the living room most of the day.  I was only allowed to stop for food.  Other than that, I did nothing.  The next day, I went to school.  I went early so I didn’t run into anyone.  Hibari stopped me as I entered the school yard.  “You weren’t here yesterday.” 

“You can tell your dad I was at a funeral.  It wasn’t my father either.” 

“Who?”  He asked with no emotion. 

“A friend of mine died.  That’s all your family needs to know.” 

“I need a name.”  I looked around and saw I was the only one around.  I pushed myself up against his chest and hugged him. 

“You don’t need a name, Kyoya.  If your father wants to know who died, he’ll meet them in hell.”  Kyoya pushed me away from him with a glare. 

“Are you after my father?” 

“And if I am?  What will you do?” 

“I’ll kill you.”  I tilted my head. 

“What makes you think you can kill me?” 

“You’re weak like all the other herbivores.”  I giggled and put my hands behind my back. 

“That’s what I made you see.”  I narrowed my eyes and stopped smiling.  “Don’t get too cocky, Kyoya.  Your family’s idiotic ideology will crumble soon enough and I’ll be the one to destroy it.”  I wasn’t in the mood to keep up my innocent act.  I was exhausted.

“You…” 

“I know your father is listening.  Do you think I wouldn’t be able to see that wire?  Don’t make me laugh.”  Kyoya took a step back.  “There’s nothing you can do to hurt me.  I will not break.” 

“Ah!  Hibari!”  I heard Tsuna’s voice.  He ran up to us and pushed me behind him.  “Whatever she did, don’t hurt her!”  Hibari just stared at Tsuna. 

“He isn’t punishing me, Tsuna.  He’s just wondering why I wasn’t here yesterday.”  I put a hand on Tsuna’s shoulder, glaring at Kyoya with a smirk.  He made a noise before leaving.  Tsuna let out a big sigh of relief. 

“I thought he was going to hurt you.” 

“Why would he?  I haven’t broken any rules.” 

“I was just worried.  You never know with Hibari.  He’s really violent.  You should stay clear of him and make sure not to get on his bad side.”  I smiled brightly at Tsuna.  He was so adorable, so easy to manipulate.

“I’ll keep that in mind.  Thank you, Tsuna.” 

“Are you feeling better?”  Tsuna asked me out of the blue while we walked to class. 

“I’m feeling a lot better.  I’m guessing Gokudera said something.” 

“He did.  He was really worried about you.” 

“I’m fine now.  My friend’s uncle was the one that told me the news and brought me to the funeral.  It was unexpected.  I haven’t cried that much in years, but her mom comforted me.” 

“I’m glad you’re better.”  Tsuna would believe anything I tell him.  He, Gokudera, and Yamamoto were wrapped around my little finger.  I’m a professional liar.  If I couldn’t tell an efficient lie, I wouldn’t be able to assassinate as well as I can. 

In the classroom, Gokudera walked over to us.  “Are you feeling better, Shiori?” 

“I am.  Thank you for your concern, Gokudera.” 

“Did Kanade go with you?”  He asked.  I didn’t like how persistent he was about Kanade.  She wasn’t his concern. 

“She didn’t, but I was on the phone with her all the way to the funeral.” 

“Why didn’t she go?  She’s your girlfriend, right?  Shouldn’t she have been there for you?” 

“The funeral was three hours away.  It’d take six hours for her to even get to the town I was in.  It’d be a waste of money for her.”  Gokudera looked at the floor. 

“I would have been there for you.”  He said in a quiet, defeated voice.  He still had a major crush on me.  Tsuna looked at me to see how I’d react.  Thankfully, the teacher walked in and had us sit.  Throughout the day, Gokudera kept looking at me.  It was uncomfortable.  He’ll find out about it sooner or later, but I didn’t want to be confronted anytime soon.  It’ll be a headache and a half.  If Xanxus and the rest were to find out, Gokudera would be dead on the spot.  On one hand, it’d get him out of my hair.  On the other hand, Nikita would scold me for having an innocent kid killed.  I’ll see how much he annoys me in the future.  I can handle another scolding from Nikita.  When school ended, I wanted to go straight home.  However, Gokudera followed like the love sick puppy he was.  I couldn’t go home with him on my trail.   His presence was suffocating.  I turned and saw him sulking behind me. 

“Why are you following me?”

“Can we talk?” 


End file.
